


30 Days and 30 Nights

by rauqthetommo



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: A Soft Soul, A little fitness slut, Abusive Sonia Kaspbrak, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, And no one can ever convince me otherwise, BACK ON MY BULLSHIT, Baking, Barebacking, Ben Hanscom Loves Beverly Marsh, Ben Hanscom is Sensitive, Ben Hanscom is a Good Friend, Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier Are Best Friends, Beverly Marsh Loves Ben Hanscom, Beverly Marsh is a Good Friend, Big Dick Richie Tozier, Bill Denbrough is a Good Friend, Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Birthday Presents, Birthday Sex, Blow Jobs, Body Worship, Bottom Eddie Kaspbrak, Bottom Richie Tozier, Canon Divergence - No Pennywise, Christmas Fluff, Cuddling, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cute, Cute Ending, Cutesy, Dad Bod Richie Tozier, Deepthroating, Dog - Freeform, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, Eddie Kaspbrak Cries During Sex, Eddie Kaspbrak Lives, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak is a Good Friend, Eddie Kaspbrak is a Good Significant Other, Eddie Kaspbrak is a Health Nut, Eddie Kaspbrak is a Healthy Bitch, Eddie Kaspbrak is a Mess, Established Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Established Relationship, Everyone is Gay Except Ben Hanscom, Explicit Sexual Content, Face-Fucking, Falling In Love, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Fatherhood, First Dates, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluffy Ending, Gay Disaster Richie Tozier, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Gay Richie Tozier, Gift Giving, Good Parent Frank Kaspbrak, Good Parent Maggie Tozier, Good Parent Wentworth Tozier, Good Parents Maggie & Wentworth Tozier, Gooey Fluffy Nonsense, Grand Gesture, Hand Jobs, Hanukkah Fluff, He has rage, Hiking, Hiking Porn, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Honeymoon, I think we All want that twink obliterated, Idiots in Love, Italy, Jealous Eddie Kaspbrak, Jewish Richie Tozier, Just some more cute fluffy shit, Kid Fic, Little fluffy boys, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Macarons, Maid of honor, Making Love, Marriage Proposal, Married Couple, Married Life, Massage, Meet-Cute, Mentioned Maggie Tozier, Mentioned Maggie Tozier & Wentworth Tozier, Mentioned Myra Kaspbrak, Mentioned Sonia Kaspbrak, Mentioned Wentworth Tozier, Mentions of Blood, Mentions of Cancer, Mentions of Infertility, Mentions of Richie Tozier/OMC, Mentions of Sterility, Mentions of dead parents, Mike Hanlon is a Good Friend, Minor Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Minor Eddie Kaspbrak/Myra Kaspbrak, More Fluff, Mother-Son Relationship, Mutual Pining, New dog, Over Protective Eddie Kaspbrak, Parenthood, Patricia Blum Uris is a Good Friend, Period-Typical Homophobia, Pet Names, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-IT (2017), Post-IT Chapter Two (2019), Power Bottom Eddie Kaspbrak, Praise Kink, Protective Eddie Kaspbrak, Public Nudity, Public Sex, Rain, Richie Tozier Cries During Sex, Richie Tozier Has Self-Esteem Issues, Richie Tozier Has a Hair-Pulling Kink, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Richie Tozier is a Dork, Richie Tozier is a Good Friend, Richie Tozier is a Good Significant Other, Richie Tozier is a Little Shit, Richie Tozier is a Mess, Rimming, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Gestures, Rome - Freeform, Sassy Eddie Kaspbrak, Secret Admirer, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Semi-Public Sex, Sensitive Richie Tozier, Service Top Richie Tozier, Side Benverly - Freeform, Side Hanbrough, Smoking, Snuggling, So Married, Soft Eddie Kaspbrak, Soft Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Soft Richie Tozier, Sonia Kaspbrak Being Terrible, Sonia Kaspbrak's A+ Parenting, Stanley Uris Lives, Stanley Uris is a Good Friend, Storm - Freeform, Sub Richie Tozier, Summer Solstice, Supportive Eddie Kaspbrak, Supportive Richie Tozier, Surrogate, This man loves being healthy, Tiny Angry Eddie Kaspbrak, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Top Eddie Kaspbrak, Top Richie Tozier, True Love, Unprotected Sex, Valentine's Day, Wedding Fluff, Wedding Night, Wedding Planning, Weddings, Yoga, Young Richie and Eddie are so fluffy, always fluff, but it happened, dom eddie kaspbrak, domestic fic, domestic life, ex-boyfriend, family fic, honeymoon sex, in the truest sense, it's so soft, maybe just this once, mentions of divorce, mentions of vomit, rain storm, still more fluff, very brief tho, wedding fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:47:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 42,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23431153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rauqthetommo/pseuds/rauqthetommo
Summary: A collection of one-shots based on a 30 day writing challenge.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 46
Kudos: 258





	1. Petting Zoo

**Author's Note:**

> I will be uploading a different lil fic every day for the entire month of April, each one based on a prompt from a writing challenge. Writing these little ficlets has really been helping with my writers block and has been making quarantine a little more bearable while I struggle with the unemployment office. I'm really having a go of it.  
> But regardless, I'll be posting a new chapter every day for the whole month, so I hope you're ready for some gooey, fluffy nonsense and some smut further down the line.  
> I'll be updating the main tags with every fic I post, so check those out if you want, and every chapter title is going to be the prompt I was given for that fic.  
> Hope y'all enjoy, and happy April. Hopefully better days are to come and make sure to thank The Turtle for another day of being alive.  
> I will also include in the notes of every chapter whether is nsfw or not. This fic is sfw.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie takes Eddie to a petting zoo for their first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

Richie and Eddie met at a bar while Eddie was in his final year of college. 

Eddie didn’t go out a lot, but Beverly had peer-pressured him into third-wheeling on a date with her and Ben to an open mic night at a local comedy club, and they’d arrived just in time to watch Richie take the stage. 

Eddie was surprised at how funny he was. He actually  _genuinely_ made Eddie laugh, and he was such a disaster that it was almost endearing. 

After he’d waved goodnight to the crowd, Beverly had pushed Eddie out of the booth and told him, “Don’t come back until you’ve spoken to him, and if you don’t have good news don’t come back at all.” So he’d gone up to the bar and bought Richie a drink. 

They’d hit it off immediately, even though Richie ordered a Dirty Shirley, which Eddie maintained was 99% sugar and a beverage only appropriate for a teenaged girl. Richie had laughed off Eddie’s good-natured teasing and they’d spent the rest of the night talking. 

When the bar closed at 2, Richie gave Eddie his phone number and a kiss on the cheek before stumbling into an Uber and disappearing into the night. 

Eddie had initially meant to wait a few days, not wanting to seem too desperate, but Beverly had pestered him nonstop the following morning during their physics 101 lecture, sending him passive-aggressive iMessages over his laptop while he was trying to pay attention and take notes. He’d finally whipped around and flipped her off before tapping out a quick and simple, “Hey, this is Eddie from last night,” and sending it Richie’s way, only to be met with an immediate response cluttered with emojis from Richie and two enthusiastic thumbs-way-the-fuck-up from Bev. 

They’d spent the whole rest of the day texting back and forth, and eventually Richie asked Eddie out officially, and they decided on a date to a mystery location that Friday night. 

Eddie and Richie continued their texting in the days leading up to their date, and on Friday afternoon, Beverly convinced Eddie to play hooky with her and Ben so they could help him get ready. 

Richie had been very secretive about where he was taking Eddie for their date, only telling him to wear something casual and fun and that Richie would pick him up outside of his apartment at 5:30. Eddie was only slightly worried that Richie was going to kill him and wear his skin as a suit, but both Ben and Bev assured him that he was being silly, that Richie was a nice guy, that they’d have a great time. 

Beverly helped him settle on an outfit, picking through all of his clothes before they landed on a plain dark green t-shirt and solid dark wash jeans. Eddie had wanted to wear his running shoes so he’d be comfortable, but Beverly had turned her nose up at them and sent Ben to go grab his pair of hi-top chucks from his room. They were a little big, but they worked, and Beverly squealed with delight as she looked him over, snapping a few pictures with her cellphone before collapsing back into Ben’s lap and resuming her words of encouragement to Eddie. 

At 5:28, Richie texted Eddie to let him know he was parked out front, so Eddie said his goodbyes to Ben and Bev, accepting a handshake from Ben and a slap on his ass from Bev before trotting down the stairs and out the front door. 

Richie looked positively delicious when Eddie stepped outside, leaning against the passenger side door of his blue Chevy Impala, dressed in a Nirvana t-shirt and ripped jeans, with an open patterned button down thrown over the top. He grinned at Eddie and leaned over to kiss his cheek again before stepping aside and opening his door. “Your chariot awaits, sir.” Richie gestured him inside, throwing a slight British accent on his voice. 

“Thank you.” Eddie laughed, buckling his seat belt quickly and wiping his palms against his thighs. He was anxious and kinda sweaty, and the last thing he wanted was for Richie to reach for his hand and then get grossed out by his sweatiness. “Where to?” Eddie asked as Richie climbed in. 

“It’s a surprise.” Richie winked at him, carefully pulling away from the curb and flipping on the radio, turning the volume low so the sounds of Pearl Jam just barely flittered through the speakers. 

They mostly rode in silence, Richie cracking the occasional joke or Eddie asking him a question about his personal life, but the ride was pretty short, so it didn’t leave much time for gibber-jabber. 

Richie could have given him a million guesses, and Eddie would have never thought that Richie would bring him to a petting zoo for their first date. It was just so completely out of left field that Eddie thought Richie was fucking around at first when he pulled into the parking lot. Richie had laughed along with Eddie for a second before clapping him on the shoulder and assuring him that they were at the right place, and he was for real, and Eddie should trust him because he’d planned, quote, ‘a real fuckin’ bitching time, Eds, I swear.’ And the look of complete seriousness on Richie’s face made Eddie agree, following Richie out of the car and walking into the park together. 

It was more of an animal sanctuary than a petting zoo, but Eddie wasn’t going to split hairs. Richie paid the entrance fee for the both of them, shaking his head when Eddie tried to pull out his wallet. “I asked you out, Eds, what kind of date would I be if I made you pay?” Richie had winked at him again, handing a 20 dollar bill to the lady in the little ticket bubble and allowing her to stamp the back of his hand. 

She stamped Eddie’s hand too, with a little blue-ink tiger, before letting them in through the turnstiles. The second they were through the entrance gate, Richie reached down and laced their fingers together, and Eddie’s pulse jumped as his face heated up, Richie’s hand almost completely engulfing his. Eddie was anxious for a second, because he knew his hand was sweaty, but Richie’s was too, so they just smiled at each other and walked along, sweaty hands joined between their bodies. 

As it turned out, Richie was the best person in the world to go to a petting zoo with, because he acted like it was the first time in his life that he’d ever seen any animal. Eddie watched again and again as Richie’s eyes lit up at the turtles and the snakes in their little  terrariums, leaning far over the bars of animal enclosures and pointing excitedly at the capuchin monkeys throwing rocks at each other. “Look at their little hands, Eddie!” He’d cried, face split open in a wide grin when one of the monkeys waved at him. 

Eddie thought Richie was going to burst out in tears when one of the workers let him hold a baby mountain lion that was missing one of its legs. He held the little ball of fur to his chest and looked down at it with his wide brown eyes behind his glasses before smiling back up at Eddie and turning his body to show him the little cat. 

It was honestly the best date Eddie had ever been on, because Richie was like a giant kid, just so fucking hype to be at this little zoo with Eddie, having his mind blown time and time again like he’d never seen a frog before in his life, always returning to Eddie’s side with a smile and relacing their fingers together. 

They wound up spending more than two hours at the zoo, and when they left they stopped in the gift shop, and Eddie bought Richie a little hat that looked like an emu sitting on top of his head, and Richie bought Eddie a tiny water buffalo plush that he could put on the dashboard of his car. 

They’d continued holding hands for the ride back into town, and Eddie suggested they stop and get some food before Richie dropped Eddie back off, so they swung by In-N-Out and sat on the hood of Richie’s car, scarfing down burgers and milkshakes together. 

When they got back to Eddie’s place, Richie put the car in park and idled at the curb for a second, drumming his hands on hips lap before speaking. “I hope you don’t think that this date was lame at all.” He said softly. “I had a really great time with you.” 

“Richie,” Eddie reached over and grabbed Richie’s hand in his. “This was, like, the best date I’ve ever been on.” 

Richie smiled shyly at him, still wearing his stupid fucking emu hat. “Really?” 

“Yeah, man.” Eddie laughed. “You knocked it out of the fucking park, Rich.” 

Richie smiled again, chuckling softly and squeezing Eddie’s hand in his. “Can I see you again?” 

“Absolutely.” Eddie said immediately. “Let me take you out this week.” 

“I’d like that.” Richie still looked shy, blushing a deep red as they sat there. 

He was so fucking cute that Eddie couldn’t stand it, so he leaned across the center console and kissed Richie softly, bringing his hands up to cup his face, gently rubbing his thumbs over the knobs of his jaw. Richie let out a surprised little gasp into the kiss, slow to react, but then he wrapped his hands around Eddie’s wrists to hold him in place, tilting his head to the side and humming into Eddie’s mouth. 

When they pulled away they were both blushing, grinning like idiots in the dim light of Richie’s car. “I’ll have to mark this down.” Richie whispered. “Petting zoo: big fucking yes.” 


	2. Fur Gloves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonia once bought Eddie a pair of faux fur gloves for christmas, and even though he hated them, he kept wearing them just to spite Richie, who laughed up a storm upon seeing them for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

“What the fuck are _those_ , Eddie?” Richie laughed.

“Shut up, fuck you, they’re from my mom!” Eddie snapped, staring down at his hands.

Sonia had given Eddie, for some inexplicable reason, a pair of faux fur gloves, because that’s what every 14-year-old boy wanted, right?

“They’ll be so warm, Eddie-Bear!” Sonia had assured him when he’d unwrapped them, sitting cross-legged on the floor under the Christmas tree. “You won’t have to worry about getting frostbite ever again!” As if frostbite had ever been a legitimate concern of his.

“You look like Cruella DeVille!” Richie howled, collapsing from his chair and onto the floor of Bill’s living room, tears spilling down his flushed cheeks.

“Well, you look like a fucking asshole!” Eddie said back.

“I like them,” Ben offered.

“You would,” Richie cackled, lying flat on his back on the floor, hands resting over his tummy. “Jesus Christ, Spaghetti-Head, you’re not actually gonna wear those, are you?”

“Of course I am,” Eddie had snapped.

And he did. If only to spite Richie, Eddie wore those ugly faux fur gloves every winter for the next 4 years, up until he left Derry and moved to New York. The gloves got lost in his move, and he wondered if he’d accidentally left them behind, but he’d always hated them, so he never bothered to ask his mother if they were there.

***

“Happy Hanukkah, Eds.” Richie plopped down on the couch next to Eddie.

“Is it Hanukkah already?” Eddie asked, taking off his reading glasses and setting them on the end table next to the couch.

After returning to Derry and nearly dying at the hands of Pennywise in the sewer, Richie had carried Eddie to safety and stayed with him in the hospital while he healed.

Richie had been so goddamn cute when he took Eddie’s hand in his and whispered that he loved him, that he always had, and he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with Eddie, as far away from Derry as they could get. So, as soon as he was cleared to leave the hospital, Eddie left his wife and moved into Richie’s LA penthouse. And he’d been happier over these past few weeks than he had been in his entire adult life.

“Yes, indeed.” Richie grinned at him. “And I got you something for the first night.”

Eddie frowned and set his iPad down. “Rich, I wish you’d’ve told me. I didn’t get you anything.”

Richie waved his hand dismissively. “You can just get me something for Christmas.” He thrust a tiny, lumpy, blue and white wrapped package into Eddie’s lap. “Open it.”

Eddie squeezed the gift gently with his hands. It was squishy, crumpling into a small ball of little more than tissue paper and a shiny white ribbon tied around it. Eddie carefully untied the ribbon and set it aside on the couch before delicately unwrapping the tissue paper. Inside was a pair of faux fur gloves, nearly identical to the ones he’d lost as a teenager. “Rich—”

“I saw them at that thrift shop downtown while I was looking for shirts.” Richie explained. “Do you remember them?”

“I thought you hated my gloves.” Eddie said softly, lifting them out of their tissue-paper-nest.

Richie shrugged. “I might have lied.” He confessed. “Maybe I always thought you looked super cute in them.”

Eddie laughed softly, cradling the gloves in his hands. Embarrassingly enough, he felt like he was about to start crying. “Thank you, Richie.” He whispered. “This is very sweet.”

“I washed them,” Richie said. “I knew you wouldn’t want to be anywhere near them if I didn’t.”

Eddie cleared his throat, meaning to thank Richie again, but a single tear fell and he was done for. He set the gloves down in his lap and brought his hands up to cover his face.

“Oh no, Eds.” Richie said quietly, sliding across the couch and throwing his arm over Eddie’s shoulder. “Don’t cry, Eddie.”

“I’m sorry,” Eddie tried to laugh it off, leaning his head on Richie’s shoulder.

“Do you hate them?” Richie asked, tipping his chin down to look into Eddie’s eyes.

“No, of course not.” Eddie picked the gloves up and slid them on. “I love them. And I love you.”

Richie grinned widely, taking Eddie’s gloved hands in his and tangling them together. “I love you too.” He raised Eddie’s hands to his lips and kissed the backs of each of them, pulling back and wrinkling up his nose. “These smell like my grandmother.”

Eddie laughed loudly, cupping Richie’s face and pulling him forward into a deep kiss, rubbing over the knobs of his jaw gently as their mouths moved together. “Mm,” Eddie hummed, pulling back and pecking Richie’s lips again lightly. “Thank you, Rich, really.”

“You’re welcome,” Richie tapped the end of Eddie’s nose with his finger. “You don’t really have to wear them, Eds, I know they’re super ugly.”

“Are you kidding?” Eddie scoffed. “I’m going to wear these every day for the rest of my life, Rich, they’re my new favorite thing.”

Richie laughed again. “Well, I’m glad to hear it.” He chuckled, eyes dropping down to Eddie’s hands before flicking back up to his face. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Eddie smiled, leaning forward and kissing Richie’s cheek softly.

Richie grinned and pinched both of Eddie’s cheeks before settling back against the couch and pulling Eddie into his side. He dropped a kiss to the crown of Eddie’s head and sighed happily, so Eddie snuggled closer to him and held him tightly, smiling like an idiot down at his stupid fucking faux fur gloves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me anywhere! My handle for everything is @rauqthetommo! Feel free to ask me questions at all on my tumblr!


	3. Walk in the Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After taking a promotion at work, Richie notices Eddie is extremely stressed, so to help him relax, he takes him for a walk in the park.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

“Hey, Eds.” Richie kneeled down next to Eddie’s desk and propped his chin up on the arm of his wheelie chair.

“What’s up, Rich?” Eddie asked, not taking his eyes off of his laptop.

“You seem stressed, honey.” Richie observed.

“Stressed?” Eddie laughed. “Yes, Richie, I’m very stressed, well spotted.”

Eddie had been working at Molliman’s Insurance Firm for over 20 years, working the same job every day for almost all of his adult life. For whatever reason, he’d accepted the promotion from Risk Analyst to Senior Claims Executive, which, along with a raise of 12%, came along with mountains of work, 40 fucking years of it, left behind by the last holder of the job. Eddie had been working practically nonstop for 4 months straight, trying to touch base with every client and every account to get things all set to run smoothly. He was pretty sure his hair had grayed faster now than it had in his entire life.

“Let me help you relax,” Richie said, looking up at Eddie with his wide brown eyes.

“I don’t have time to fool around right now, Rich, I’m sorry.” Eddie shook his head, numbers practically flying off of his computer screen and dancing around the room.

Richie laughed shortly and Eddie’s heart clenched. He’d been so busy since his promotion that they barely had time to see each other, let alone spend any intimate time together. Eddie missed Richie like crazy, but he knew that this job was important. He’d have to put his personal shit aside until he was properly settled into his new position. And ‘personal shit’ unfortunately included Richie.

“No, not that.” Richie pushed himself to his feet and held his hand out to Eddie. “Come with me.”

“Richie—”

“Eds, it’s 8:30, you’re done working for the night, come on.”

Eddie frowned, glancing down at it watch. When the fuck had it gotten so late? Had he really been working for almost 12 hours? It hadn’t felt that long. “Jesus Christ.” Eddie mumbled, rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his hands. He was suddenly exhausted, and fucking starving.

“Come on,” Richie said again, waving his fingers at Eddie.

Eddie pushed his chair back from the desk and accepted Richie’s hand, lacing their fingers together and following him out of his home office. Richie led Eddie down the stairs and directly out the front door, holding his hand tightly and swinging it in the warm night air as they walked along.

“Where are we going?” Eddie asked, glancing up towards the sky. The sun was almost completely gone, just barely visible above the horizon, a small mound of orange casting hazy golden light all around them.

“Just for a walk,” Richie answered. “I’m worried about you, baby, you’re so worked up lately.”

“I’ve just got a lot on my plate, Rich.” Eddie sighed.

“I know that,” Richie nodded, releasing Eddie’s hand and throwing his arm over his shoulders.

Eddie immediately relaxed at Richie’s touch, his stress melting away as he tucked himself under Richie’s arm, snuggling into his side. “I’m sorry, Richie, I know I’ve been super distracted lately.” He mumbled. “It’s just that this promotion is a lot. It’s a lot more work than I thought it was going to be, y’know? Gary had the job for so fucking long, he built up this whole fucking system that I’m not used to, and it’s taking a lot longer to get the hang of than I thought it would—”

“Eds, you don’t have to explain yourself to me.” Richie shook his head. “I know you’ve got a lot going on. I just want to make sure you’re ok.”

Eddie laughed shortly, pushing his face into Richie’s ribcage, inhaling the scent of their fabric softener and Richie’s deodorant, along with the spicy cologne that Richie liked to wear. “I’m ok.” He sighed. “I’m just stressed out.”

“How can I help?” Richie asked.

Eddie shook his head, pausing to turn to Richie and hug him properly, wrapping his arms around his middle and pulling him into a tight hug. Richie hugged him back, rubbing gently over his back and kissing the top of his head. “You help by just being you.” Eddie told him, resting his chin on Richie’s sternum so he could meet his gaze. “Thank you for being so understanding.”

Richie smiled at him softly, tucking a lock of hair behind Eddie’s ear. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Eddie whispered. A flicker of light over Richie’s shoulder caught Eddie’s eye and he pulled back to follow it, realizing now that Richie had walked them into the little park near their house. They were now standing near the duck pond, by the wooden bench they used to sit on together when Eddie would come home from the office for lunch. The flicker of light he’d seen had been a firefly, and a whole cloud of them were floating near the water’s edge. “Oh, wow, Rich, look.” Eddie stepped out of Richie’s hold and pointed at the fireflies. Eddie walked towards the fireflies, mesmerized by the way they danced in the sky, bumping into each other and blinking rapidly. “Richie, come here.”

“Hey, Eds.” Richie said from behind him.

“Hm?” Eddie asked, holding his palm up, grinning widely when one of the little lightning bugs landed on the tip of his middle finger. “Rich, look!” He spun around slowly. “Look, Richie, one of them—” He stopped, freezing when he saw Richie behind him, dropped to one knee, holding out a small ring box. “Oh,” He whispered, dropping his hand to his side as the bug flew away.

“Oh,” Richie repeated, smiling nervously. He cleared his throat. “So, I’ve been wanting to ask you this for a while, Eds.” He shifted around, clearly anxious. “For as long as I’ve known you, actually, and I know that you’ve been having a rough time at work and everything, and I know that you feel bad that we haven’t had that much time to spend together lately because of your promotion, but I wanted you to know that I’m not upset or anything about that. I know that this is important to you, and you’re important to me, so it’s important to me too. And I love you. So much, Eddie, it’s crazy.” He blinked and shifted again. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling. Let me cut to the chase. Edward Francis Kaspbrak, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me? Please?”

Eddie nodded quickly. “Yes, yes, of course.” He whispered, choking out a sob as Richie popped the ring box open to reveal a plain silver band.

“Yeah?” Richie grinned.

“Yes, of course.” Eddie said again, pulling Richie to his feet and yanking him in for a kiss, the ring box crushed between their chests where they were pressed together. “I love you,” Eddie said quickly, pulling the ring from the box and handing it to Richie.

“This is for you,” Richie frowned.

“Put it on me, you asshole.” Eddie rolled his eyes, holding his left hand out.

“Oh, right.” Richie laughed. “Forgot.” He huffed another small laugh as he slid the ring onto Eddie’s finger, eyes lighting up as he looked back up at him. “Hooray.”

“Thank you,” Eddie whispered, taking Richie’s face in his hands and kissing him softly. “Thank you for this and thank you for being so fucking sweet and understanding about everything, I just love you so much, Richie, I didn’t think I’d ever be this happy.”

“Well, get used to it, bub.” Richie smiled down at him. “Cause now you’re mine for good. No take-backs.” He held up Eddie’s hand as proof, tapping his new ring softly.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Eddie assured him, once again standing up on his toes to meet Richie’s lips for another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me anywhere! My handle for everything is @rauqthetommo! Feel free to ask me questions at all on my tumblr!


	4. Green Smoothie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beverly recommends a new smoothie place for Eddie to go to after his morning runs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

Eddie ran every morning. He’d started running when he moved to New York for college and he’d immediately fallen in love with it.

Now he was 28, and still ran every day, waking up before the sun to go on his morning jog around the city before running home to grab a shower before work.

His good friend Beverly from work had convinced him that he should try this new smoothie place downtown, ranting and raving about it everyday at work for weeks before Eddie finally relented. “It’s great, Eds, you’ll love it. They have the best smoothies in the world.” She’d said.

Eddie wasn’t really sure how one would make a bad smoothie, (it was just yogurt and fruit, right?) but he hadn’t brought that up to Bev. He’d simply agreed to stop in after his next run and give it a try.

So, on Monday morning, Eddie woke up at 6 like he usually did and went on his merry way, jogging through the streets of Manhattan while listening to NPR on his headphones and thinking about the date that Beverly had set up for him later in the week.

Eddie didn’t really date. He was more than happy being on his own, for the most part. He got lonely from time to time, but who didn’t? And he had his friends, anyway. Why would he need a boyfriend when he had Beverly and Ben? They were more than enough for him.

When his alarm went off at 7, Eddie slowed his run down to a walk and made his way over to the smoothie place, following Bev’s direction until he was standing outside of an Apple-store-looking building, with huge windows lining the front of the store, and a huge sign that read ‘Smoothie Operator’.

The store was pretty crowded, despite it being just past 7 in the morning, so Eddie scanned the menu while he waited in line, deciding on a regular green smoothie. It seemed simple and easy, unlike the smoothie that Bev recommended to him, which had so many ingredients and powders Eddie couldn’t even remember them all.

“Hi, welcome to Smoothie Operator,” The cashier greeted as Eddie stepped up. “What can I get for you?”

“Yeah,” Eddie finished typing out an email to his boss before looking up. “I’ll take just a regular green smoothie.”

“Absolutely.” The guy smiled. He was cute. Really cute. He had curly brown hair that was so shaggy it almost touched his shoulders, barely contained by the bright green baseball cap he was wearing. He had a bright smile and wide brown eyes behind a pair of huge, thick glasses. His name tag read ‘Richie!’ “Anything else for you?”

“No, uhm.” Eddie’s mouth suddenly felt dry standing there. He blinked, trying to clear his brain of _Cute Guy!_ so he could actually speak. “No, I’m all set.”

“Your name?” The guy— Richie— asked.

“Uhm,” Eddie stuttered. _What’s wrong with me?_ He thought. “Eddie.” He managed finally.

“Nice to meet you, Eddie.” Richie grinned at him, writing Eddie’s name on the little plastic cup.

“Nice to meet you too,” Eddie said softly, handing his card over so Richie could charge him.

Eddie wanted to keep talking to Richie, but the place was pretty busy, so he had to just step aside and let Richie do his job, helping customers and joking around with them. Eddie eventually got his smoothie and went on his way, walking briskly home to shower and get ready for work.

***

“Hey, Eds!” Beverly greeted when Eddie walked into the office. “I see you got your smoothie!”

“Yes, I did.” Eddie agreed, setting his messenger bag on the ground next to his desk chair.

“What do you think?” Bev linked her fingers together and dropped her chin to rest on them.

“It’s fine,” Eddie shrugged. “A little expensive, but it’s a regular old green smoothie, for sure.”

“I think someone liked you,” Bev raised her eyebrows, grinning at him.

“Hm?” Eddie cocked his head, taking a small sip from his smoothie as he plopped down in his desk chair.

Beverly pointed at his cup, still smiling. Eddie turned the cup around to see what Bev was looking at, just now noticing that underneath his name was a little sharpie heart. “Oh,”

“Oh!” Bev twisted in her chair to face him fully. “Who wrote that, what did they look like?”

“Uhm,” Eddie scratched a hand through his hair. “His name was Richie. He had curly hair.”

“Ooh, I know him!” Beverly reached over and laid her hand on his wrist. “Tall, glasses?”

“Yeah, that was him.”

“You should go back! And talk to him more!”

“Why?”

“Why?” Bev scoffed. “He likes you, obviously!”

“You don’t know that.” Eddie shook his head, twisting around in his chair to login to his computer. “He could write hearts on everyone’s cup.”

“He’s never written one on mine.” Bev shook her head.

“What are you guys talking about?” Ben asked, sidling up next to Bev and settling onto the arm of her desk chair.

“Eddie has a boyfriend.” Bev said.

“No!” Eddie hissed as the same time Ben went, “Really?”

“Yes!” Bev laughed as Eddie reiterated, “No!”

“It’s just some guy at the smoothie place.” Eddie mumbled.

“Which one?” Ben asked.

“Richie,” Beverly supplied. “Curly hair, tall, glasses. He drew a heart on Eddie’s cup.”

“You should go back and talk to him,” Ben suggested.

“You’re both ridiculous.” Eddie shook his head.

“Why won’t you let yourself be happy?” Bev asked.

“Bev, Jesus.” Eddie snorted. “I met this guy once for half a second. Stop acting like we’re star-crossed lovers.”

“I think Bev is right.” Ben piped in.

“Shocker,” Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Eds, you’re clearly lonely.” Ben said.

“I’m not lonely!” Eddie frowned at them. “I have you guys. And Maple.”

“Maple is a cat.” Beverly pointed out. “And she isn’t even your cat.”

“Amanda lets me pet her all the time.” Eddie mumbled, speaking of his neighbor across the hall in his apartment; an elderly woman that smelled like chicken noodle soup and always gave him cookies on holidays.

“Eds,” Beverly reached over to pat his arm again. “Will you please do me a favor?” Eddie sighed and turned to face her. “Will you please at least go back to the smoothie place and talk to Richie?” She pleaded him with her blue eyes. When Eddie glanced up at Ben, he looked similarly interested. “Please?” Bev asked again.

Eddie sighed, looking between his two friends. He knew they only had his best interests at heart, so he relented. “Fine,” He muttered. “I’ll go back and talk to him.”

***

Eddie considered backing out of his promise to Bev and Ben, or at the very least telling them he talked to Richie and got turned down, but he didn’t want to lie to them, so he decided to man up and return to Smoothie Operator the following morning to talk to Richie.

He woke up at 6, as usual, and went on his run, and when 7 rolled around he walked on over to the smoothie place and went inside.

It was significantly less busy than it had been the day before, with only a few people milling around in the dining area, and Richie looked up from behind the register when he heard the door open. He grinned at Eddie when they made eye contact. “Well, if it isn’t Eddie Spaghetti!” He called. “How’s this morning treating you?”

“Fine,” Eddie tried to return his smile, but he was annoyingly anxious. “How’re you?”

“Better now that you’re here,” Richie said, eyes flicking over Eddie. “What’ll it be?”

“Well, I actually wanted to talk to you.” Eddie blurted, cheeks heating up. He hadn’t meant to just yell it out, but now he’d backed himself into a corner.

“Well, color me intrigued.” Richie stuffed his hands into the pockets on his green apron. “How can I be of assistance?”

“You, uh.” Eddie started, his running shirt suddenly feeling way too tight, sticking to his sweaty skin. “You drew a little heart on my cup yesterday.” He said. “And my friend at work pointed it out to me, but I figured you just drew that on everyone’s cup, right? I mean, that’s what I told her, but she was pretty insistent that it meant something and she told me to come back and talk to you so here I am now, talking to you about it. The heart, I mean.” Eddie realized he was rambling but he couldn’t stop himself, and Richie, bless him, just stood there nodding along politely while Eddie babbled, making an ass of himself.

“Well, I didn’t mean to cause you an existential crisis there, Eds.” Richie said, and Eddie flushed even darker (somehow) at how easily the nickname rolled off of Richie’s tongue, as if they were the best of friends already. “But, no, I don’t draw hearts on everyone’s cup. I drew one on yours because I thought you were cute.” He said it so casually, with a dismissive shrug and a sly grin, and Eddie could barely think. “I think you’re even cuter right now, though.” He smiled again, pushing his glasses back into place.

“Could I maybe—” Eddie stuttered, wiping his sweaty palms on the legs of his shorts. “Could I maybe get your phone number?”

Richie smiled even wider, nodding his head. “Absolutely.” He said, eyes flicking over Eddie again.

“And uh,” Eddie raked his hand through his hair. “And could I also get a green smoothie?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me anywhere! My handle for everything is @rauqthetommo! Feel free to ask me questions at all on my tumblr!


	5. Map to Nowhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie worships at the altar of Eddie's body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw (finally)

Richie knew Eddie’s body inside and out, quite literally. He knew every bump and every scar, each line and each wrinkle. It was like a road map. ‘A map to nowhere,’ as he liked to call it, which made Eddie roll his eyes, but Richie didn’t care. Eddie was his little world map, and he loved him.

***

“Rich, baby, we’re out of milk.” Eddie informed him, leaning against the doorway of the living room.

“Roger dodger,” Richie shot him a thumbs up from his place on the couch. “I’ll go to the store tomorrow.”

“What if we need milk tonight?” Eddie frowned.

“For what?” Richie turned his head away from the tv to look at him.

Eddie shrugged dramatically. Richie repeated the gesture. “What if we want to make milkshakes?” Eddie asked.

Richie knit his eyebrows together. “Babe, when was the last time you even looked at a milkshake?”

“What if I want one tonight?” Eddie insisted.

“Then I’ll order one on DoorDash and have it brought here, but honestly, we’re old as shit, baby, neither of us really need dairy. It fucks up your stomach.”

“I’m not old.” Eddie scowled at him.

“You have gray pubes.”

“So do you, asshole.”

“I know, which is why I said I’m old.”

Eddie continued to frown, arms crossed over his chest. “You’re annoying.”

“Not arguing that, love.” Richie settled back against the sofa cushions. “Come watch with me, honey. It’s the dessert round.”

Richie expected at least a little argument from Eddie, but he apparently wasn’t in the mood to pretend-fight, as he simply crossed the living room and settled next to Richie on the couch, tucking himself under Richie’s arm and snuggling into his side. Richie planted a loud kiss on the top of Eddie’s head before returning his attention to the television.

Eddie got touchy pretty fast, starting with petting over Richie’s knee gently, before moving up to stroke his thigh, and eventually flat out cupping his crotch, trying to wiggle the fingers on his other hand into the waistband of Richie’s jeans. “Rich,” Eddie complained when Richie made no effort to help him, simply relaxing back against the sofa cushions with his eyes locked on the tv.

“Eds, it’s the dessert round. I want to see who gets chopped.” Richie gestured towards the television, where one of the contestants was firing up the ice cream maker.

“This is on Hulu, Richie, you can watch it whenever you want.”

“Then I chose right now.”

Eddie groaned out, frustrated as he unbuckled Richie’s belt. “You’re the most frustrating person I’ve ever met in my entire life.”

“Stanley would share your assessment.”

“Please don’t bring up our friends when I’m trying to suck your cock.”

“Is _that_ what you’re doing?” Richie grinned down at Eddie as he pinched Richie’s stomach sharply. “Ay! Not so rough.” He shoved Eddie’s hand away from him.

Eddie hummed softly, taking Richie’s cock in his hand and pumping it slowly, watching with rapt attention as he hardened in his hand, precum beginning to bead up at the slit. Richie licked his lips and let out a small breath, tv remote held in his hand as he went to press pause. “Watch your show.” Eddie nodded towards the tv. “I think one of them is about to use the deep fryer.”

“Well, that’s just foolish.” Richie panted out, petting softly over Eddie’s hair as he mouthed over the length of Richie’s cock, tracing the veins with his lips and tongue, warm and velvety over Richie’s flushed skin.

Richie liked to watch Eddie when he was sucking him off. He always looked so pretty with his lips stretched around Richie’s cock, his cheeks flushed, his hair pushed up into strange peaks from Richie’s hands, but he was more than happy teasing Eddie, so he kept his eyes on the television as Eddie worked over him, hand resting on Eddie’s back, softly dragging his fingers over where memory told him Eddie’s scars were, straight in the center of his back, and a matching one in the middle of his tummy.

“It never ceases to amaze me that contestants think it’s ok to just toss one of the ingredients on the dish as a garnish.” Richie commented, hand rubbing softly over Eddie’s shoulder, over the patch of freckles that adorned his tan skin, especially prominent when they laid out in the sun on the edge of their pool.

“Mm,” Eddie seemed to agree as best he could with a dick in his throat, rolling Richie’s balls with one hand and gripping his cock with the other, his own spit starting to run down the length and pool around his fist.

“I mean, really, Eds, just tossing cinnamon candies over your ice cream dish? That’s next level lazy.” Richie sighed and dragged his fingers through Eddie’s hair, scratching gently at his scalp, over the healed scar on the crown of his head from when he’d nearly brained himself off the edge of Bill’s coffee table at a sleepover when they were 11.

Eddie didn’t respond this time, opting instead to double his efforts of sucking Richie down, bobbing quickly and slurping noisily, jerking what he couldn’t fit in his mouth with his hand.

Richie neared the edge pretty fast, hips twitching up over and over again as Eddie swallowed around him. “Fuck, Eds, I’m close.” Richie warned, running the tips of his fingers down Eddie’s hollowed cheeks, tracing over the thin scar from Bowers’ knife.

When Richie came Eddie swallowed it down, gently rubbing circles over Richie’s hipbones. Richie whined softly as he became sensitive, pushing gently at Eddie until he released him. “Jesus, Noo Noo,” Richie laughed. “Talk about—”

“Do _not_ fucking call me the vacuum from _The Teletubbies_!” Eddie smacked Richie’s chest lightly, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand.

Richie laughed again, sliding further down against the arm of the couch as Eddie climbed up his body, straddling Richie’s chest and gently scratching through his hair. “Fancy meeting you here,” Richie waggled his eyebrows up at Eddie, kissing the inside of his thigh lightly.

Eddie snorted. “Shut up,” He mumbled, gripping his cock by the base and swiping it over Richie’s lips, smearing precum over his chin.

Richie opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue, mouth watering at the brief taste of Eddie left behind on his lips. Richie leaned forward to try and take Eddie in his mouth, only to have him pull away. Richie whined, squeezing the backs of Eddie’s thighs tightly. “Eds, c’mon, don’t tease me.” He pouted.

“Oh, now you want to fool around? I thought you wanted to watch your show.”

Richie shrugged. “Something more pressing came up.” He grinned up at Eddie and pinched his ass lightly. “Now, would you kindly fuck my face, lovely?”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “How could I turn down such an elegant offer?”

Richie was going to fire back with another idiotic comment, but Eddie finally did thrust forward and push his length into Richie mouth, and everything else became unimportant as Eddie fisted his hands tightly in Richie’s hair and held him in place while he used his mouth to get off.

Richie fucking _loved_ that shit, loved being at Eddie mercy, and his eyes rolled back as Eddie shoved into his throat again and again, choking him between the little gasps of air he was getting.

Eddie reached the edge pretty quickly, panting out heavy breaths as he yanked Richie’s glasses off and tossed them onto the coffee table, pulling his head closer and finishing on his face. Richie kept his mouth open while Eddie came, catching some of his orgasm on his tongue while the rest landed on his cheeks and eyelids. His scalp was buzzing when Eddie released him, a dull stinging ache from where Eddie had been gripping him, but he couldn’t give less of a fuck in that particular moment because all he really wanted to do was wipe his hand over his face and lick Eddie’s cum off his fingers, but Eddie was too quick, grabbing a handful of tissues from the end table and cleaning him off.

Richie whined as Eddie wiped him down, squinting one of his eyes open at him. “You never let me have any fun.” He rasped.

“That’s because you’re disgusting.” Eddie patted his cheek lightly before sliding his glasses back on.

“I didn’t hear you complaining a few minutes ago.” Richie coughed once, turning his face into his palm as Eddie climbed off of his chest.

“You’re not allowed to talk anymore.” Eddie informed him, tucking both his and Richie’s cocks away and rezipping their pants. “Wait here, I’m going to go make you some tea.”

Richie made a heart with his hands, mouthing _Love you_ _,_ while Eddie rolled his eyes and hopped off the couch, leaving Richie to keep watching his show on the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me anywhere! My handle for everything is @rauqthetommo! Feel free to ask me questions at all on my tumblr!


	6. Aunt Visiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie's aunt and her new husband come to have with the Toziers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

Eddie hated when Richie’s family came to visit. His mother’s sister, Linda, was always such a bitch to him, and Eddie could never figure out why. It also really bothered him that Wentworth and Maggie, Richie’s parents, never really did anything about it. Richie’s parents loved him, Eddie saw that every day, but they just let Linda, and her 3rd husband, Mark, treat Richie like shit. 

So Eddie always went over to act as a sort of buffer for his best friend. So, now he was sat in Richie’s bedroom, legs folded underneath him on the bed while Richie sat against the headboard and strummed his guitar lightly. “Why are they coming again?” Eddie asked, watching Richie’s long fingers pluck the strings. 

“Went’s birthday is next week.” Richie supplied. “Does this sound like ‘Come As You Are’?” Richie plucked a random assortment of strings. 

“No,” 

“Damn,” He frowned, staring down at the instrument. 

“I wish they were nicer to you.” Eddie sighed. 

Richie shrugged. “It’s no biggie, Eds. I wish a lot of people were nicer to you. Your mother, for starters.” 

“This isn’t about me,” Eddie shook his head. 

“It isn’t about anything.” Richie shrugged again. “You’re just having dinner with my family. Same old shit, different day.” Eddie opened his mouth to respond when the doorbell rang. Richie sighed dramatically and pushed his guitar off his lap. “And so it begins.” 

*** 

Richie’s aunt and uncle barely acknowledged Richie and Eddie when they came downstairs together, glancing over at them with a look of mild disgust before following Wentworth and Maggie into the kitchen. Eddie scowled at them, willing them to trip and fall or get crushed by a falling support beam or something, but nothing happened. He did make eye contact with Richie and offer him a small smile, to which Richie pantomimed hanging himself from the light fixture. 

The passive-aggressiveness started almost immediately after dinner started. Maggie hadn’t even finished setting out all the plates before Linda opened her stupid mouth. “You should really cut your hair, Richard, you look like a dirty hippie.” She frowned at him, sipping from her glass. 

“Funny you should mention that, I actually just bought my tickets for Burning Man, so.” Richie grinned at her, pushing his food around on his plate. 

“Richard,” Maggie said softly, warning him with her eyes. 

“I like Richie’s hair.” Eddie cut in. 

Richie smiled at him, throwing him a small wink. 

“I think he looks like a fag.” Mark threw in, as if anyone had even been speaking to him in the first place. 

Eddie bristled, clenching his fist to stop himself from throwing his water glass across the table at Mark. “Yet another coincidence,” Richie said. “My big gay orgy is this weekend.” 

“Richard.” Wentworth said sternly. 

“You let your son walk around talking like that?” Mark asked. 

“What do you care?” Eddie snapped, unable to stop himself. 

“Eds,” Richie said softly. 

“And you would be?” Linda raised her eyebrows, looking him over as if she hadn’t met Eddie at least a dozen times. 

“I’m Eddie,” He said tightly. 

“Eds,” Richie said again, laying his hand on Eddie’s wrist. 

“Richard.” Maggie looked at him pointedly. 

“I’m not even doing anything,” Richie frowned at her. 

“Get your boyfriend under control, boy.” Mark laughed. 

“Fuck you!” Eddie shouted, anger swelling up before he could stop it. 

There was a beat of silence, and Eddie heard Richie stifle a snicker, before Mark laid his fork down and stood from his seat, leaning far over the table to get into Eddie’s face. “Now, I know you aren’t talking to me like that, kid.” He said lowly. 

“And what if I am?” Eddie challenged. 

“Listen, kid—” Mark slammed his closed fists down on the table, rattling the dish ware. 

“Mark—” Linda grabbed his arm. 

“Richard—” Maggie said at the same time. 

“We’re going,” Richie cut in, pushing himself out of his chair and pulling Eddie away by his upper arms. “Not worth it, Eds, c’mon.” Richie mumbled to him as he led him away. 

Eddie let Richie lead him back up to his bedroom, plopping him down on the bed as he shut and locked his bedroom door. “They shouldn’t talk to you like that, Richie, it isn’t—” 

“Just take it down a notch, Eds.” Richie grabbed the glass of water off his nightstand and pressed it into Eddie’s hand. “Settle down before you have a goddamn embolism.” He crouched down in front of Eddie and stroked over his knee while he sipped from the water. When Eddie handed the empty glass back, Richie leaned over and set it on his nightstand before returning to his place on he floor to grin up at Eddie. “Better?” 

“Yes,” 

“Thanks for sticking up for me, Eds. I appreciate it.” 

“I can’t believe Went and Maggie let them talk to you like that.” 

Richie shrugged. “It’s easier to just let them do their thing than it is to argue with them. I don’t mind.” 

“Well, you should. It isn’t right.” 

Richie kept on smiling up at Eddie, his eyes shining behind his glasses. He reached up and bopped the end of Eddie’s nose with his finger. “My little bodyguard.” 

“Fuck you,” 

Richie laughed. “You’re tiny and powerful. I think you could have taken Mark.” 

Eddie snorted. “Are you kidding? He would have destroyed me.” 

“Yeah,” Richie agreed. “But you would have put up one hell of a fight, though.” 

“Yeah,” Eddie sighed. “I would have. Sorry if I ruined dinner.” 

“You didn’t ruin anything, Spaghetti-Head. If anything, you made it better.” They smiled at each other lightly for a second, Eddie perched on the edge of Richie’s bed, Richie crouching on the floor in front of him, before Richie spoke again. “Come lay down with me.” 

“Yeah, ok.” Eddie agreed, scooting back on the bed as Richie pushed himself to his feet and climbed up next to Eddie, leaning back against the headboard. “Do you want to put on some music?” Eddie asked as he settled next to Richie, leaning his head on his chest. 

“Nah,” Richie shook his head. “Just stay with me for now.” 

Eddie nodded. He often cuddled with Richie. They both got sad from time to time and it was the quickest way they knew how to cheer each other up. Whenever Eddie cried over how his mother treated him, Richie was always there to rub his back and whisper jokes to him until he was shaking with laughter. And whenever Richie was upset over something he said he couldn’t tell Eddie, he would wrap himself around Eddie in the darkness of his bedroom and cry into his t-shirt while Eddie brushed his hair back from his face and hushed him softly. 

So now they lay together, tangled up on Richie’s bed, with Richie traced over Eddie’s spine with his fingertips, listening to his family eat downstairs. “Thanks for being here, Eddie Spaghetti.” Richie said after a minute. “I appreciate it.” 

“I’ll always be here for you, Rich.” Eddie squeezed him softly. “Your aunt is a bitch anyway.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me anywhere! My handle for everything is @rauqthetommo! Feel free to ask me questions at all on my tumblr!


	7. Underground Gig

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie tags along with Richie while he preforms at an underground comedy club.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

“It’ll be fun,” Richie assured him, bouncing his legs from his place in the armchair.

“I just don’t know, Rich.” Eddie chewed his lip anxiously, sitting back against the couch.

“Why not?”

“It sounds kinda. . . spooky.”

Richie laughed, smiling over at Eddie. “Why?”

“I’ve never heard of an underground comedy club.” Eddie shook his head.

“I mean, you know it’s not actually, like, _underground_ , right?”

“No fuck, asswipe.” Eddie rolled his eyes and Richie laughed again.

“It just means it’s, like, secret-y. Invite only kinda deal.”

“Richie, I _know_.” Eddie said. “I just don’t like the idea of going to some place we’ve never been filled with people we don’t know. Why can’t we just go to Rodney’s?” He asked, leaning forward to cup Richie’s knee. “What’s wrong with Rodney’s?”

Richie shook his head. “I’ve already preformed there, like, 20 times, Eds. I need a new scene. This could be good for me. Maybe there’ll be some agents there, y’know? Someone to sign me. Don’t you want that?”

“Of course I do.” Eddie sighed. He studied Richie’s face. His eyes were pleading with him. He knew Richie wanted to get out of New York. He wanted desperately to leave the east coast, for good. He wanted to go to LA, and Eddie knew that Richie’s comedy was the ticket out, for both of them. Eddie sighed again, nodding slowly. “Alright.”

“Yeah?” Richie grinned.

“Yeah, we can go.”

“Oh, thank you, baby, thank you so much, I fucking love you.” Richie climbed over Eddie on the couch and wrapped him up in a hug, peppering kisses all over his face and neck.

“I love you too,” Eddie laughed, twisting in Richie’s grip to meet his lips for a kiss. “And I’m bringing Stan and Bill to the club. I don’t want to just sit around with my dick in my hand while you’re getting ready.”

***

“Remind me again why I agreed to come with you.” Stan yelled over the noise of the bar, swirling an Old Fashioned in his hand.

“Because you’re a good friend.” Eddie clapped him on the shoulder. “And Richie could use the support.”

“I’m a better friend than Bill, at least.” Stan nodded his head towards the corner of the bar, where Bill was chatting up some guy, hand resting on his shoulder as he stood on his toes to speak directly into the mystery man’s ear, as he was at least half a foot taller than him, if not more. “Stuttering bastard.”

Eddie laughed. “Don’t be sour, Stanley.” He said to him. “I’m sure we can find you someone.” Eddie scanned the bar for someone Stan might be interested in.

“I’d rather watch the free show.” Stan nodded towards Bill again, sipping from his drink.

When Eddie turned he almost laughed. Bill and his new friend were wrapped around each other, kissing pretty heavily against the wall of the bar, Bill’s hands resting on the man’s hips, his hands tangled up in Bill’s hair. “Good lord.” Eddie turned back to Stanley.

“I’d yell ‘get a room,’ but it isn’t 1984 and there’s also no way they’d hear me.”

“Mm,” Eddie agreed.

“Jesus, what’s taking Richie so long? His set ended like,” Stanley checked his watch. “10 minutes ago.”

“He probably went to pee.” Eddie surmised. Richie got the anxious pisses, and usually stopped to pee at least 4 times before a set, and once right after. “There must have been a line for the bathroom.”

“Boy was there,” Richie sidled up next to Eddie, plucking his drink from his hand and taking a swig before leaning down to kiss his temple. “I swear, you’d think everyone was in line to kick Trump in the balls or something.” Richie’s eyes fell to Stanley. “Hey, Stan the Man.” He leaned forward to kiss Stan on the cheek, but Stan leaned back and pushed Richie away with a hand on his chest.

“No,” He said simply.

Richie laughed and grinned at him. “Did you like my set?”

“It was certainly better than the time you threw up on stage.”

“Oh man,” Richie frowned. “Why’d you have to bring that up.”

Stan shrugged. “Keep you in your place.”

Richie laughed again. “I like you, Stanley, you’re funny.” Stan rolled his eyes as Richie looked around. “Where’s Big Billy?”

“He made a friend,” Stan finished off his drink and motioned to the corner of the bar, where Bill and his man friend were now shamelessly grinding on one another.

“Oh, hell yeah!” Richie held his hand up for a high five, but neither Stanley or Eddie moved to give him one, simply watching Bill sloppily kiss a stranger. Richie whooped loudly but Bill didn’t hear him, so Richie turned his attention back to Stan and Eddie. “I wonder if he’s going to go home with—”

“Excuse me, Richie Tozier?” A man around Eddie’s height pushed his way through the crowd, stopping right in front of them.

“That’s me,” Richie grinned at him. “And you are?”

“Gregory Bousard,” He shook Richie’s hand. “I’m an agent. I liked your set, a lot.”

“Oh, thanks.” Richie continued to smile, hand squeezing Eddie’s hip softly. “I do it all for folks like you.”

“Well, how’d you like to do it for a lot more folks like me?” He reached into his pocket and produced a business card, handing it over to Richie. “I like your style, and if you’re interested, I’d like to sign you.”

Richie handed the card over to Eddie. “Really?” He asked.

“Yes.” Gregory glanced over at Eddie and Stanley before looking back to Richie. “What do you say?”

“Uhm,” Richie stuttered, pushing his glasses back up. “I’d have to talk to my fiancé first.”

“Of course,” Gregory waved him off. “My cell number is on there.” He pointed to his card, now in Stanley’s hand. “Just give me a call tomorrow, let me know.” He shook Richie’s hand again. “Have a good night.” And with that, he disappeared into the crowd, moving towards the direction of the door.

“Baby, oh my god!” Eddie said at the same time Richie started to say, “Eds, we don’t have to—”

“What?” Eddie frowned and set his drink down on the bar. “Richie, of course we do, this could be your big break.”

“But, everything will change if I start actually doing this shit, Eddie. We’ll probably have to move.”

“I know that.” Eddie took Richie’s face in his hands. “Richie, this is what you want. I’ll support you no matter what.”

“I also think you should do this, Rich.” Stan piped in. “If that makes any difference.”

“Should we ask Bill?” Richie joked.

“I think he’s a little busy.” Eddie glanced over just in time to see Bill and his make-out buddy slip into the bathroom together.

“Lucky duck.” Richie turned back to Eddie and smiled. “You’re really ok with this?”

“Of course, honey. This is your dream. Give him a call.”

Richie tipped his head up towards the ceiling and let out a little victory shout before wrapping Eddie up in another hug and kissing him. “I love you.” He mumbled against his lips.

“I love you too.” Eddie smiled.

“I told you coming to this club was a good idea.”


	8. World Ocean Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie and Eddie celebrate World Ocean Day with their family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

“Daddy?” Melody tugged on Richie’s arm.

“Melody?” He looked down at her from his place at the kitchen table, setting his phone screen-down on his placemat.

“Mrs. Keebler— that’s my teacher, Daddy.”

“I know, pal.” Richie chuckled softly.

“Well, Mrs. Keebler told us that tomorrow is World Ocean Day.”

“She did now?”

“Yes,” Melody nodded matter-of-factly. “She said that we should do something to help the ocean tomorrow.”

“Well, did she have any suggestions?” Richie picked her up and sat her on his knee, brushing her hair back from her face.

She nodded quickly, the ends of her braids whipping against Richie’s arm. “Yes.”

***

“She wants to clean up the beach?” Eddie asked, walking out of the master bathroom and joining Richie on the bed.

“So she says.” Richie took his glasses off and set them on his nightstand. “And why not, babe? Wouldn’t you like a day at the beach?”

“Not if we’re cleaning up other people’s shit.” He sighed. “But if Melody really wants to, maybe we should.”

“That’s the spirit.” Richie leaned over and kissed Eddie’s cheek softly. “It’ll be a real bitchin’ time, Eds, I promise. We’ll load up the kids in the van and head on down to Malibu. What’dya say?”

Eddie sighed again, leaning his head on Richie’s shoulder and looking up to meet his eyes. “Fine. But we’re not going in the water. I don’t want to lose one of the kids to the ocean.”

“A reasonable thing to want.”

***

“Daddy,” Daphne frowned at Eddie as he smeared more sunscreen on her little face.

“What’s up, sweetheart?” Eddie asked, rubbing the cream up over her ears.

“Stop,” She put her hands on his arms. “The sun won’t get me, I promise. That’s why I have this big hat.” She pointed to the wide-brim sunhat Eddie had plopped on her head when they’d piled out of the car at the beach.

“She’s fine, Eds.” Richie assured him. “Go on and help your sister, honey.” He patted Daphne’s back lightly, pushing her in the direction of Melody, who was using her gator-grabber to pick up an old McDonald’s cup and put it in her little beach bucket.

“Be careful!” Eddie called to her, standing up to join Richie on the edge of their blanket.

“They’re gonna be fine.” Richie said, for the 100th time since they’d woken up that morning. “We’re right here.” Antonio garbled from his place on Richie’s hip, waving his chubby little baby arms at him. “That’s right, Daddy is being a helicopter parent.” Richie told him, nodding his head.

Antonio shrieked happily, giggling from under his teeny tiny baby visor that Eddie insisted he wear.

“Fuck you,” Eddie grumbled.

“Language!” Richie gasped, moving to cover Antonio’s ear with his free hand. “Stop trying to ruin our kid.”

“Don’t act like you’ve never met me before.” Eddie frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and watching as Daphne picked up a plastic bag and dropped it in her bucket. “Do you have sunscreen on?”

“Jesus, Eds, yes.” Richie bumped Eddie with his shoulder. “You’ve only applied it on me 10 times since we left the house.”

“Don’t be overdramatic.” Eddie rolled his eyes. “I’ve only done it 6 times.” Richie snorted softly, kissing the side of Antonio’s head while he tugged on Richie’s t-shirt. “Excuse the fuck out of me for caring whether or not you get skin cancer. By all means, Rich, become a walking melanoma.”

“You’re ridiculous and I love you.” Richie grinned over at him. “Take this.” He handed Antonio over to Eddie and wiped his hands on his shorts. “I’m gonna set up the umbrella. Keep my boys safe from that evil sun.”

Richie made quick work of setting up the umbrella, digging a hole in the sand to safely set the pole in place, laughing to himself when he heard Eddie whisper, “Your daddy is a drama queen,” to Antonio.

“Don’t turn my own son against me.” Richie called as Eddie settled into one of their beach chairs.

“He’s my son too, asshole.” Eddie reminded him.

“Yeah, but he looks like me.”

Eddie blinked at Richie as he took his seat in the other beach chair. “He’s mexican, Rich.”

“And?” Richie frowned at him. “He looks just like me, come on, look at his little face.”

Eddie snorted, rolling his eyes and bouncing Antonio on his knee. He looked like he was going to say something, but Daphne chose that moment to sprint up to them, clutching something in her little fist. “Daddy, I found a balloon!” She informed them, thrusting her gloved hand towards them.

“Lovely,” Richie laughed as Eddie gagged, Daphne looking confused as she stared down at the ‘balloon’ in her hand. “Can I see that?”

“Richie, Jesus Christ!” Eddie snapped. “You’re not even wearing gloves!”

“I’m sure it isn’t used.” Richie rolled his eyes, taking what he could very clearly see was a condom out of his daughter’s tiny hand. “Go back and help your sister.” He waved her off, carefully dropping the condom in their trash bag and squirting some hand sanitizer on his hands before Eddie could yell at him.

“That is so fucking disgusting, Richie, I can’t believe you just did that.” Eddie scowled, bouncing Antonio lightly up and down.

“Did you want her to keep holding it?”

“No!”

“Well, those were the two options, babe.” Richie said easily, leaning back in his chair and stretching his legs out in the sun.

“Is there sunscreen on your legs?” Eddie asked immediately.

“No,” Richie said simply. “I want them to burn.”

“Why must you antagonize me?” Eddie handed Antonio back over to Richie and dug the sunblock out of their bag.

“It’s in my nature, Eds. In the very fibers of my being.” He grinned down at Eddie as he began slathering lotion all over Richie’s legs, stopping to yank on his leg hair. “Ow! Fucker.” Richie kicked at him lightly.

“Stop, you’re going to get lotion on my clothes.” Eddie mumbled, rubbing the last of the lotion in before bending over and kissing Richie’s knee softly.

“I love you,” Richie told him.

“I love you too,” Eddie sighed, scooting his chair closer to Richie’s so he could lay his head on his shoulder. “This is nice, kind of. Minus the whole condom thing.”

Richie laughed again, jostling Antonio lightly on his chest. “Yeah, well. I guess that’s World Ocean Day for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me anywhere! My handle for everything is @rauqthetommo! Feel free to ask me questions at all on my tumblr!


	9. Anonymous Postcard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie goes through some old boxes at his parents' house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

“Rich?” Eddie called from downstairs.

“Up here, Eds.” Richie yelled back.

Eddie appeared in the open attic hatch a moment later, frowning. “What in God’s name are you doing up here?”

“Looking through my old shit.” Richie held up a box labeled ‘Richard’ in his mother’s swooping handwriting for Eddie to see.

“Honey, we need to get this place ready for the open house tomorrow.”

“My parents are dead.” Richie frowned at him, holding one of his old yearbooks in his hands. “Could you just— like? Indulge me here, babe?”

Eddie sighed and finished climbing up into he attic, crawling over to Richie and laying his head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok.” Richie said softly, tracing his index finger down the lettering on the cover of the book. “I just miss them.”

“I know.” Eddie rubbed Richie’s arm softly. “What’s in the box?”

“I guess just the shit I left behind when I moved out.” Richie shrugged, pulling the box closer and tipping it towards himself. He lifted out a pair of glasses with both of the lenses shattered. “Bowers, probably.” He mumbled.

“Mm,” Eddie hummed.

“Oh shit, I used to love this book.” Richie said softly, pulling out a beat-up copy of _The Witches_ by Roald Dahl.

“Ugh,” Eddie wrinkled his nose as Richie flipped through the pages. “Those drawings used to always scare the shit out of me.”

“You were such a baby.” Richie laughed softly.

“Hey, fuck you.” Eddie slapped his arm. “I faced my demons, need I remind you.”

“Oh, I know, baby-love, I was there.” Richie shivered at the thought of Pennywise.

“He’s gone.” Eddie kissed his neck softly.

“I know,” Richie nodded, setting the book aside.

He took a second to breathe deeply, in through his nose, out through his mouth, trying to calm his racing heartbeat. Eddie, for his part, continued to rub gentle circles over Richie’s tummy, head resting on his shoulder. “He’s gone,” Eddie said again. “We killed him. For real this time. We don’t ever have to worry about him again.”

Richie nodded again, turning his head to press a kiss to Eddie’s temple. “I know.” He whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Eddie squeezed his arm gently. “What else is in here?” He nodded towards the box.

“Let’s have a look, then.” Richie said in a thick cockney accent. “Oh, wow.” He mumbled, back in his regular voice, as he pulled out a stack of old drawings. “These are from when I was a _little_ little kid.” He handed the one on top to Eddie. It was a picture of the four of them, Richie, Stan, Eddie and Bill, riding bikes down Main Street.

“Why is Bill so much bigger than us?” Eddie asked, studying the drawing.

“He was our leader.” Richie said, tracing his finger over the line of Silver, Bill’s bike, which he thought he absolutely _nailed_ , aside from the fact that it, and all the other bikes, were floating just above the ground. (He was, like, 7, give him a break.)

“You made me so tiny,” Eddie muttered, frowning at the tiny Eddie on the page, drawn right next to Richie, practically on top of him.

“That’s because you were. You are.”

“Fuck you.” Eddie set the drawing aside.

Richie laughed again, tossing the other drawings on top of that one before sticking his hand back in the box. He came up with a _Back to the Future_ lunch box. “Oh, way fuckin’ cool.” Richie grinned down at the box. “Check this shit out, Spaghetti. I remember this. I fucking _begged_ Went and Mags for this fuckin’ thing. I used this every day for, like, 4 years.”

“Didn’t Patrick Hockstetter try and steal it?” Eddie ran his finger down Marty McFly’s face.

“Yeah, he did, the fucker.” Richie mumbled. “When I wouldn’t give it to him he shit in my backpack. What a fucking nut job.”

“Mm,” Eddie hummed his agreement, watching Richie pry the latch open.

“Jesus, this thing is stuck.” Richie mumbled, tugging hard on the little metal clip. With a great deal of effort, it finally popped open, spraying them with little bits of rust from the ancient clasp.

“Jesus,” Eddie sputtered quietly.

“Sorry, there, Spaghetti.” Richie patted his knee. “It really didn’t want to open.”

“It’s probably full of fucking spiders.”

“Probably not.” Richie shook his head, lifting the top. “If I could barely get this open there’s no way a spider could— oh wow.” He cut himself off as he stared into the little metal box, filled to the brim with postcards. “I remember these.” He said softly, lifting one out to examine it. “These used to come in the mail for me.” He flipped over and read the writing on the back. “‘Your curly hair reminds me of wild stallions, running free and without care on the vast plains of the Midwest.’” He handed the card to Eddie. “Someone used to send me these. I got them, like, once a week, but they were always anonymous.” He shrugged. “I could never figure out who they were from.”

Eddie rubbed the card gently between his fingers for a moment before clearing his throat and looking up at Richie. “I sent them, Rich.”

Richie frowned at him, glancing down to the card in his hands. “No way. That isn’t your handwriting, it’s way too messy.”

“I wrote it with my right hand so you wouldn’t know it was me.” Eddie confessed. He peered into the box, at the card on top, pursing his lips as he stared at the Bar Harbor photo on the back of it. “‘Your smile is like sunshine and your laugh is like a summer breeze, warm and comforting, and light along my skin and hair.” He recited as Richie lifted the card out of the box. Eddie had repeated the note, word for word, without even looking at it. Richie’s heart clenched and he couldn’t stop the tears as they started to fall. “Oh, baby—” Eddie started.

“I used to always wish it was you, Eds.” Richie sobbed, tears plopping down onto the cards. “Why didn’t you ever say something?” He demanded, bumping Eddie with his shoulder.

“Because I was embarrassed, you asshole!” Eddie pushed him back. “You were such an idiot when we were kids—”

“Still am,”

“—that I couldn’t believe that I fell in love with you. All you ever talked about what fucking my mother, Richie. I didn’t understand how I could possibly love you. But I did. And so I wrote these for you, because I knew you didn’t think anyone even _liked_ you, let alone _loved_ you, and I wanted you to know that _I_ loved everything about you. I still do.” He reached up and wiped some of Richie’s tears away.

“You’re such a gooey little sap, Eddie.” Richie laughed, poking his cheek.

“Shut up,” Eddie grumbled, setting the postcard he was holding back into the lunchbox.

“Fuck the clown,” Richie threw his arm over Eddie’s shoulder. “I ended up with you anyway.”

“Make sure you thank The Turtle for that.” Eddie said.

“I thank him for you every goddamn day, sweetcakes.”


	10. Last Cigarette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie quits smoking at Eddie's insistence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw

“Not smoking doesn’t include weed, does it?” Richie frowned at the last cigarette in the pack.

“Ideally, it would.” Eddie laid his hand on Richie’s wrist. “But, I’m more concerned about what’s in the tobacco right now, so, I’m willing to let the weed slide.”

“Whoop-ti-do.” Richie mumbled.

“Baby, this is what’s best for you.”

“I know, I know.” Richie sighed.

“Bev is quitting too,” Eddie reminded him.

“Like I could forget. That scene Ben put on in Macy’s will be engrained in my brain for the rest of my life.”

“He’s just concerned about Beverly, just like I’m concerned about you.”

“I thought the crying was a bit much,”

“Don’t make fun of him, he’s sensitive.”

“So am I!” Richie flicked his lighter on again, watching the little flame dance. “Y’know, Eds, I wouldn’t ask you to give up something you love.”

“Richie,” Eddie looked at him pointedly. “Cigarettes are killing you. I swear to god, I heard the tar rattling around in your lungs earlier.”

“Ha ha,”

“I’m serious.” Eddie took Richie’s hands in his again. “Don’t you want to have kids one day? Don’t you want to set a good example for our kids to live by?”

Richie nodded, sighing. “Yeah, yeah.” He pulled the last cigarette from the pack and held it between his index and middle finger. “Fuckers aren’t even born yet and I’m already doing shit for them.”

“They’ll appreciate it.” Eddie patted his arm.

Richie lit his lighter again, slowly raising it to the end of the cigarette, stopping just short of lighting it and tucking it back in his pocket. “Y’know, Eds—”

“No more stalling, Richie.”

“No, it’s good, I promise.”

Eddie sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “What?”

“Cigarettes are _always_ better after sex, my love.” Richie grinned at Eddie, to which he cocked an eyebrow. “Whatd’ya say, baby-love? A little fun and games before my last hoorah?”

“Pinky swear to me that afterwards you’re going to quit,”

“I swear on my life, Eds.” Richie linked his pinky with Eddie’s.

Eddie exhaled heavily. “Fine, then.” He stood from his chair and extended his hand to Richie.

Richie pumped his fist in a little victory before linking his fingers with Eddie’s and allowing him to lead him towards their bedroom. Richie really was bummed about quitting smoking. He’d been smoking since he was 12, so practically his whole life. His parents had always smoked when he was growing up, and he’d always had a great time sitting around with Beverly, shooting the shit and smoking up a storm in the clubhouse. He’d smoked all throughout middle and high school, and then continued to through college, and it wasn’t until he reunited with Eddie in New York 3 years earlier that the smoking had become an issue. Eddie had always hated the cigarettes, coughing loudly and sometimes even gagging if Richie tried to smoke in the car or in the apartment, but he only pushed him to finally quit when Wentworth, Richie’s father, had been diagnosed with lung cancer. He’d gotten chemo and was now in remission, but that was what finally made Eddie put his foot down.

He and Ben had tag teamed Richie and Beverly last week and announced their plan to, ahem, ‘encourage them to better their lives by quitting,’ or, in other words, throwing out every pack of cigarettes the two of them owned and saying that was that. And Richie’s guessed he didn’t mind so much. He knew smoking was bad for him, and he knew Eddie was just trying to look out for his best interests, but goddamnit, he was a 26 year old man, he should be allowed to make his own decisions.

“Earth to Richie.” Eddie tapped his between the eyes. “Are you even paying attention or are you just jerking me off from muscle memory?”

“Oh,” Richie looked down, only a little surprised to see his hand down the front of Eddie’s pants where they now sat on the edge of their bed. He hadn’t even remembered getting started. “Sorry, I was a little lost in thought.”

“Thinking about your other lover?” Eddie leaned back on his hands and hung his head back while Richie focused his attention on stroking him properly.

“If you’re talking about the cigarettes, then yes.”

“It’s for the best, Rich. I’m only doing this because I care.”

“I know that.” Richie assured him, swiping his thumb over the slit and spreading precum down the shaft.

“That feels good,” Eddie said breathlessly, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.

“Well, jerking it is my specialty.”

“What is wrong with you?”

“So much,” Richie used his free hand to unbutton his own pants, eager to free himself of the prison of his jeans. “Can I suck you off?”

Eddie huffed a small laugh. “You don’t have to ask, honey.”

“I like to anyway.” Richie shrugged. “God forbid I ever do something you don’t like.”

“I’d let you know if you did,” Eddie brought one of his hands up to pet through Richie’s hair while he settled on his tummy on the bed, gently spreading Eddie’s thighs so he could fit easily between them, finally shoving his pants and boxers down so his cock sprang free.  
  
“I know you would.” Richie said softly, eyes flicking up to meet Eddie’s as he swallowed him down easily, letting Eddie’s full length push into his throat, nose pressing down into Eddie’s neatly trimmed pubes.

“Oh god,” Eddie breathed, bucking his hips up into Richie’s mouth. “You have to stop, Rich, I’m gonna cum.” He pulled Richie off by his hair. “Why are you so good at that?”

“What can I say? I have an oral fixation.” Richie waggled his eyebrows at Eddie.

Eddie bonked him between the eyes. “Are you going to fuck me? Or are you going to keep acting like an idiot?”

“Can’t I do both?”

“I’m done,” Eddie announced, moving to rebutton his pants.

“Nooooo!” Richie whined, grabbing Eddie’s hands in his own and leaning up to kiss his cheek. “Just let me have a little fun, hm?” He kissed his way down Eddie’s jawline to his neck, sucking softly on his throat. “Don’t you want to have fun, Eds?” He mumbled, reaching over to dig through his nightstand drawer in search of their lube.

“Do you have to be involved in the fun?”

Richie pinched Eddie’s nipple. “Shitass,”

“Oh my god, you started it.”

“ _When_?”

“You always start it,”

“Y’know, I’m hearing an awful lot of complaining when there’s a dick to be ridden.”

Eddie shoved at Richie’s shoulder. “Then you’d better hurry up and prep me, bud.”

“ _Bud_ ,” Richie repeated, snickering as he popped the lube open and squirted a generous amount on his fingers.

“I’m beginning to think you’re drawing this out just to avoid smoking that last cig,” Eddie muttered as Richie slid two of his fingers into him.

“How so very dare you,” Richie kissed the inside of Eddie thigh as he stretched him out, scissoring his fingers gently. “Accusing me of such treachery.”

“You’re such an idiot— _shit_ ,” Eddie gasped out sharply as Richie found his prostate, pulling his hand out to add more lube and add another finger.

“What was that?” Richie grinned up at him, planting a line of kisses up Eddie’s shin. “Say something, Eds?”

“Richie, I swear to god, if you don’t get inside of me in the next ten seconds I’m leaving you.”

“Bossy, bossy, bossy,” Richie hummed fondly, shimmying out of his pants one-handed.

“Seven, six, five—”

“Alright, alright.” Richie shed his t-shirt quickly before once again settling between Eddie’s open legs, spreading more lube over himself and lining the head of his dick up with Eddie’s hole. “Ready?”

“Yes, go.” Eddie slapped Richie’s hip impatiently. “God, Rich.” He whispered as Richie pushed in, bottoming out in one smooth slide.

“You good?” Richie stroked Eddie’s cheek lightly while he waited for him to adjust, trying to stop his hips from twitching forward as Eddie’s tight heat engulfed him.

Eddie let out a long breath before opening his eyes and nodding up at Richie. “Yes, move.”

Richie nodded back, bracing one of his hands on the pillows next to Eddie’s head and gripping his hip with the other, pulling out slowly to slide right back in, looking for the best angle. Eddie kept making breathy little sounds as Richie fucked into him, lips parted and shiny with spit. “Fuck, you feel so good, baby, you’re so tight.” Richie panted.

“Harder, Rich, faster.” Eddie wrapped his legs around Richie’s waist, pulling him closer and kissing the hollow of his throat.

Richie complied, pressing his lips to Eddie’s temple and quickening his pace, thrusting in harder and faster, pounding into Eddie’s prostate. “Do you want me to touch you?”

“No, make me cum like this.” Eddie whispered. “C’mon, Rich, show me what you can do, baby, show me how much you love me.” He encouraged, rolling his hips down to make Richie thrust in deeper.

“Are you close?”

“Yes, fuck.” Eddie nodded quickly. “Kiss me.”

Richie leaned down and caught Eddie’s lips in another kiss, pressing in deep and grinding his hips in a slow circle, rolling directly up into Eddie’s prostate. Eddie whined softly as he came, pumping up onto his stomach and clenching hard around Richie inside of him. “Fuck, baby, you’re so beautiful.” Richie mumbled, thrusting forward rapidly as he chased his own climax, kissing Eddie deeply as he finished, filling him up slowly like they both fucking loved.

After they cleaned off and settled down, Richie flopped back on the pillows and pulled Eddie into his side, sighing happily and nosing at his sweaty hair. Eddie slid out of his grip for a second to lean over the side of the bed and dig through the pockets of Richie’s pants, before coming back with his last cigarette and his lighter. “Last one, baby-love.” He handed them over. “Enjoy it.”

“Fuck, I don’t even need it, Eds.” Richie raked a hand through his hair. “Why would I need to smoke when I’ve got the best vice in the world right here at my disposal?” He grinned and pinched Eddie’s hip.

Eddie smiled back. “Really?”

“ _Fuck_ no,” Richie laughed, yoinking the smoke and the lighter from Eddie’s hands. “Give me that sweet, sweet cancer, baby.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, settling back against the pillows. “You’re such an ass.” He flicked Richie’s hollowed out cheek as he sucked on the cigarette. “Last one ever, so you’d better enjoy it.”

Richie winked at him, turning his head to blow his smoke out the window. “A treat and a lovely view,” He commented, eyes sweeping over Eddie’s still-naked body. “Best one ever.”


	11. Beach Body

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie feels a little self-conscious about how he looks, so Eddie helps him feel better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw

Richie frowned, turning slightly to examine himself in the mirror. He was dressed only in his boxer shorts, with his swim trunks hanging off the side of the tub, just waiting for him to step into them so he and Eddie could go to the beach to celebrate the first really warm day of summer, but Richie didn’t really feel like going.

When he was a little kid, he’d had no issue stripping down and swimming with the Losers in nothing but his tighty-whities, but when he was a kid he was a little beanpole. Tall and skinny and lanky, and pretty gangly and awkward, but it was fine because the rest of the Losers were too. Puberty had not been kind to any of his friends initially. But as time went on, all of his friends grew into their looks.

Ben got tall and handsome, Beverly got curvy and pretty, and Eddie, fucking Eddie, was sculpted like a Greek god, with his strong arms from lifting weights and strong legs from running every morning, and he somehow managed to have washboard abs at the age of forty-one, despite his near-death-injury at the hands of the fucking clown. Eddie looked amazing and chiseled and rock fucking hard, and Richie looked soft and doughy and whatever the opposite of amazing was. Terrible.

He frowned at his reflection, poking lightly at the pudge of his tummy, just barely hanging down over the waistband of his kitten-print boxers that Eddie had bought for him for Hanukkah the year before. He was annoyed by how out-of-shape he looked, and by how old he looked. With the stupid flecks of grey in his beard and his hair, worry lines creasing his forehead and his cheeks, and he super wasn’t happy about how grey his fucking happy trail and pubes were getting.

He sighed and pushed his glasses up into his hair, rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his hands.

“Rich?” Eddie called, knocking lightly on the door.

“Yeah?”

“Are you almost ready, honey? Bill and Mike are already there.” Richie sighed again and stared down his blurry reflection in the mirror. “Rich?” Eddie said again when he didn’t answer.

“I’m uh,” Richie glanced over at his swim trunks. “I don’t know if I want to go, Eds.” He mumbled. “I’m not feeling so great.”

Eddie paused for a second before speaking again. “Can I come in?” Richie heard his hand move to the doorknob.

Richie worried his bottom lip with his teeth for a second, debating whether or not he should lie to Eddie again, but decided against it and called, “Yeah, that’s fine.” through the door.

When Eddie slipped in he was already dressed for the beach, sunglasses pushed up into his dark brown hair, wearing his red trunks and a black tank top, with little black flip-flops to match. “What hurts?” He asked, setting his beach bag on the ground next to the tub and pressing the back of his hand to Richie’s cheek.

Richie laughed softly, leaning into Eddie’s touch. “My ego,”

Eddie frowned up at him, face blurry, even so close. “What do you mean?”

“Eddie, have you ever noticed that all of our friends are extremely hot?” Richie slid his glasses back into place.

Eddie was still frowning. “No, not really.”

“Liar,”

Eddie shook his head. “Is this part of a joke, Richie? Can you just get to the punch line?”

“Just,” Richie sighed, eyes drifting back to his reflection. “Look at me.”

Eddie looked him up and down. “Ok?”

“I’m all—” He gestured broadly to himself. “And you’re all, like—” He made the same sweeping gesture over Eddie’s body.

Eddie shook his head again, still just frowning. “I’m not following, sweetheart. Can you just say what you mean?”

“Eddie,” Richie turned to him and grabbed him gently by his shoulders. “You’re hot. And so is Ben. And Bev, and Bill and Mike. And I’m just.” He shrugged. “Not, y’know?”

Eddie looked genuinely angry for a second. “Richie, what the fuck are you talking about? You’re beautiful.”

Richie huffed out a laugh. “Very—”

“What would make you think you aren’t?”

“You have abs and you’re forty,” Richie touched Eddie’s tummy lightly.

Eddie shrugged. “So? I like to work out.” He grabbed Richie’s hands in his. “Richie, I love you exactly the way you are. I like the way you look.”

“Why?”

“ _Why?_ _”_ Eddie repeated. Richie nodded and Eddie scoffed. “Because I do. I don’t need a reason.”

“But wouldn’t you rather have someone like Ben?”

“Wouldn’t I rather have someone that’s in love with Beverly?” Eddie asked.

“You know that isn’t what I meant.”

“Richie, I love every single thing about you. I wouldn’t change any of it.” He wrapped his arms around Richie’s middle and pressed his face into his bare chest. “I wish you could see what I see.”

“A washed-up, old comedian?”

“You aren’t washed-up.” Eddie mumbled. “I see people talking about you on Twitter every single day. They love you.” He kissed Richie’s left pec lightly. “And you aren’t old.”

“Baby, I’m the oldest. I’m about ready to start collecting social security.”

“But, I’m old too.” Eddie pointed out. “And anyway, Bill is older than you are. And Bev.”

“Barely,”

“Rich,” Eddie pulled back and took Richie’s face in his hands, forcing them to make eye contact. “You are the only person I’ve ever wanted to be with. I wanted you like fucking crazy when you were 14, and I want you just as much now. Whether you were that lanky little nerd that snuck into my window every night, or the big, strong, grown-ass man that carried me out of Neibolt.” He stood on his toes and pressed their lips together softly. “I love you, just the way you are.”

Richie smiled down at him, leaning over to kiss the end of his nose. “I love you too.” He mumbled.

Eddie returned Richie’s smile, keeping them wrapped up together as he walked them back into their bedroom. “Let me show you how much I love you.”

“You don’t have to, Eds, I’m fine.” Richie assured him.

“I know I don’t have to.” Eddie sat Richie down on the edge of their bed. “I want to.” He kissed the inside of Richie knee softly. “Let me take care you of.”

“What about the beach?” Richie asked softly, not giving a single fuck about the beach at all.

“It’ll still be there.” Eddie mumbled, gently tugging at the waistband of Richie’s boxers until he got the hint and lifted his hips off the bed, allowing Eddie to yank them off and toss them aside. “I love you.” He whispered, taking Richie’s cock in his hand and pumping him quickly.

“I love you too,” Richie sighed, stroking his hand through Eddie’s hair.

“You’re perfect just the way you are.” Eddie kissed the head of Richie’s cock softly, looking up at him through his eyelashes.

“Fuck,” Richie breathed, scratching lightly at Eddie’s scalp.

Eddie smiled up at him softly before swallowing Richie down to the root in one quick motion, pulling back and doing it again, quick and messy as he jerked what he couldn’t fit in his mouth with his hand.

Richie hung his head back as Eddie worked over him, trying to just ignore his brain telling him he wasn’t good enough. Eddie certainly helped, he always did, and Richie did start to feel a little better as Eddie used his free hand to rub circles into Richie’s tummy while he sucked him off.

He heard some kind of shuffling from next to them, and then one of the drawers on the nightstand slid open and then closed again before Eddie was carefully hitching Richie’s legs apart, slowly pulling off of his cock to speak. “Can I fuck you?” He asked, voice rough.

Richie nodded quickly. “Yeah, yeah, please.”

“Lay back,” Eddie tapped the inside of his knee lightly. “Legs up, love.” Richie settled back against the bed and pulled his legs up as well, propping his feet up on the edge of the mattress, feeling so open and exposed that it made his face flush. “God, you’re gorgeous.” Eddie mumbled, making Richie blush even more, his chest heating up as Eddie surveyed him. “I love you so much, Rich.” He muttered.

“I love you too,” Richie whispered, steadying his breathing as Eddie kissed both of his shins softly before using his hands to spread Richie open and ducking down to lick over his entrance. “Oh god, Eds.” Richie blindly reached down to grasp at Eddie’s hair, tangling his fingers up in it.

Eddie kept Richie held open with one hand while he ate him out, using the other hand to stroke a gentle line up the back of one of Richie’s thighs, moaning and humming softly into Richie as he swirled his tongue around. Richie fell apart under Eddie’s touch, grinding his hips in a slow circle and yanking on his hair, whimpering softly and trying desperately to stop himself from crying, but he couldn’t help it. He felt so exposed and embarrassed, but so thoroughly loved and protected, that his glasses fogged up with his tears as they fell, crying softly as Eddie continued to lick over him.

Usually while Eddie ate Richie out, he made him behave, holding his hips down to the bed and biting at his thighs when he struggled against his grip or tugged too hard on his hair, but now he just let Richie do what he wanted, laving over his hole repeatedly while Richie whined and yanked on his hair.

Richie was beginning to think Eddie had forgotten he’d asked to fuck him, and that he was just going to eat him out to completion, which he was totally fine with, but Eddie slowly pulled back, nipping at the side of Richie’s calf while he grabbed the lube from the floor next to him. Richie was pretty loose from Eddie rimming him, so he pushed two fingers in from the get-go, sucking a hickey into the inside of his thigh.

He stretched Richie quickly, adding a third finger within a few minutes, leaving kisses all along his legs and his tummy, and murmuring sweet praises into his skin. Every single, “you’re perfect, Richie,” and “I love you so much,” made more tears spill down Richie’s cheeks, but when he brought his hands up to wipe them away, Eddie stopped his movements, leaning far over him to kiss his cheeks and whisper, “It’s ok,” to him softly.

Richie was basically a puddle of love and tears by the time Eddie pushed into him, fucking him slow and soft, hands roaming all over Richie’s body; his chest, his legs, his tummy, his arms, his hair, telling him over and over again that he loved him and that he was beautiful, and when Richie came it was with Eddie’s name on his lips and tears fogging up the lenses of his glasses so much that he couldn’t even see.

Eddie came soon after him, filling him up with his lips pressed to Richie’s temple, holding him in his arms as they came down. “I love you,” Eddie panted out softly, taking Richie’s glasses off and setting them on the bed next to them. “I love every single thing about you, Richie, and I want you to know that.”

Richie nodded as Eddie stroked a hand down his cheek. “I do,” He assured him, smiling when Eddie leaned forward to to kiss the end of his nose. “I do.”


	12. Broken Treadmill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

“I think it’s broken, Eds.” Richie frowned, pushing his glasses back up.

“No fucking shit,” Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Well, I don’t know what you expect me to do about it, my love.” Richie patted the belt of the treadmill lightly, as if attempting to comfort it. “I’m not a repair man.”

“How am I supposed to run?” Eddie asked, glaring at the treadmill.

“We could call a repair guy, see if he can make it out here today?” Richie suggested, pushing himself to his feet.

Eddie chewed his bottom lip. “It’s Saturday. They’re probably closed.”

“I’m sorry, baby-love.” Richie placed his hand on Eddie’s shoulder. “Maybe you could just do weights and shit until Monday, babe.” Richie gestured broadly to their other home gym equipment.

Eddie kept on frowning, looking at his other workout gear. “Running is part of my routine,” He mumbled.

“Well, why don’t you run around the neighborhood?” Richie suggested. “You could do that. In fact, why don’t I run with you.”

“ _You_ want to run with me?” Eddie raised his eyebrows.

“Sure, why not?” Richie grinned at him. “You’re always telling me I should take better care of my body. I think I’ll start right now. Let’s go for a run, Spaghetti, come on.”

“Do you even have clothes you can run in?”

Richie looked down at his outfit; jeans and a Hawaiian shirt. “What’s wrong with this?”

“Rich—”

“I’m kidding, Eds, I can throw on some sweats and a t-shirt, yeah?”

“You don’t have running shoes.”

Richie shrugged. “Don’t need ‘em.” He poked Eddie’s tummy lightly. “Sounds like you’re trying to discourage me from running with you, Spaghedward. What’s wrong? Scared to hold my hand in public?” He continued to grin at Eddie.

“You can’t hold hands while you run,” Eddie shook his head. “We’ll be moving too fast. Or I will, anyway.”

“You don’t think I can keep up with you?”

“I know you can’t,”

Richie placed his hand over his heart and raised his eyebrows. “How so very dare you, Eddie. I’m fast as hell.”

“Baby, I ran track in high school. And I’ve been jogging every morning since college. When was the last time you ran at all?”

Richie thought about it for a second, pushing his glasses back up. “In the caverns under Derry. And before that, probably middle school. I skipped out of running the mile every year in high school.” He winked at Eddie.

“If you haven’t run in almost thirty years, what makes you think you can keep up with me?”

Richie shrugged again. “Perseverance.”

***

Eddie helped Richie pick a pair of shoes that were better for running than his boots, stressing that he didn’t want to get shin splints, and that running on pavement would be hard on their knees, which is why Eddie had stopped running on the sidewalks to begin with (he was over forty, give him a break).

He changed into his regular running outfit, spending basically their entire warmup period swatting Richie’s hands away from him while he tried to pinch his ass or grope him through his running shorts. “You’re no fun,” Richie pouted, following Eddie’s lead as he stretched his arms above his head.

“If you don’t blow a gasket running, we can fool around when we get home.” Eddie rolled his eyes, twisting around to stretch out his back muscles.

“Promise?” Richie grinned at him, stopping his stretching to retie the drawstring on his sweatpants.

“You’re going to be hot as hell in those sweats, Richie, are you sure you don’t just want to stay here?” Eddie pressed again. The last thing he wanted was for Richie to hurt himself trying to keep up with Eddie, but he also wasn’t about to just throw away a run to walk alongside his stubborn boyfriend.

“No chance, pink pants.” Richie nodded towards Eddie’s shorts.

“They’re red, but whatever.” Eddie opened the front door only to be hit with an immediate wave of hot July air. Richie was going to fucking die in his sweatpants. “Ready?”

“Ready Spaghetti.” Richie confirmed, swapping his regular glasses for his prescription sunglasses before following Eddie out onto the front porch.

Much to Richie’s credit, he tried pretty hard to keep up with Eddie. They just ran around the streets surrounding theirs in the neighborhood, not wanting to run outside of their gated community and worry about paparazzi seeing them, and Eddie did slow his usual brutal pace down a little, both due to the heat and to try and make things a little easier on Richie, and Richie managed to stay basically right on Eddie’s tail the whole time. That was, until he doubled over on the side of the road and threw up into a sewer grate.

“Jesus Christ, Rich.” Eddie panted, jogging up next to him to rub his back.

“I’m fine,” Richie insisted, trying to wave Eddie away. “We can keep going, I feel great.”

“Sit down, baby.” Eddie ignored Richie’s dismissal and plopped down on the curb next to him. “Have you been drinking your water?”

“For sure,” Richie nodded, fanning his t-shirt in and out to try and cool himself down.

Eddie reached across Richie’s lap and grabbed the water bottle he’d lent to Richie off of his waistband, scowling when he saw it was completely full still. “Richie!” He scolded.

“Ugh,” Richie moaned, hanging his head down between his legs.

“No wonder you threw up, you’re probably dehydrated.” Eddie unscrewed the lid and handed the bottle to Richie. “Drink.”

“I’m fine, Eds.” Richie insisted again, even though he was clearly not fine.

“Drink,” Eddie said again, pushing the bottle into Richie’s hands. “I’m not asking.” Richie sighed and relented, taking the bottle from Eddie and downing about half of it in one gulp. “There,” Eddie mumbled, rubbing gently over Richie’s back as he drank. “Better?”

Richie nodded and handed the bottle back, allowing Eddie to press the cold plastic to his sweaty cheek. “Running is terrible.” He announced, leaning on Eddie’s shoulder. “Why do you do it?”

Eddie chuckled softly, kissing Richie’s temple and moving the bottle to his other flushed cheek. “It gets easier the more you do it. _And_ , I stay hydrated. _And_ , I usually don’t run out in the heat. That’s why I like the treadmill.”

“Mm,” Richie hummed softly, seemingly in agreement, before turning his head and pressing a kiss underneath Eddie’s jaw. “I think I’m quittin’, Eds.” He sighed, taking the bottle from Eddie and taking another swig. “I’m gonna head home. You keep doin’ what you’re doin’ though.” He pushed himself up and twisted to crack his back.

“Nah,” Eddie shook his head and stood too, sliding his hand into Richie’s. “I think that’s enough running for today. We should get home and shower.” He kissed Richie’s bicep lightly. “Plus, I think you deserve a little reward for being such a good sport with me.”

Richie grinned again and threw his arm over Eddie’s shoulder, walking slowly in the direction of their house. “A _reward_?” He inquired. “Whatever could that be?”

Eddie rolled his eyes, pressing a quick kiss to Richie’s cheek. “It’s a surprise, but I think you’ll like it.”

“Is that so?” Richie pushed his glasses back up. “Race you home,”

“Richie, I don’t think—” Eddie didn’t get a chance to finish his thought before Richie took off running towards their house, so Eddie rolled his eyes again and started after him.


	13. Ex Best Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie runs into an ex while out with Eddie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw

“Richie? Richie Tozier?”

Richie looked up from his glass of water to turn in the direction of who had called him. “Lionel?” Richie asked the guy, who stood just to the left of where Richie and Eddie were having lunch on the patio of their favorite bistro.

“I thought that was you!” The guy— Lionel— smiled at Richie.

“Hey, man, it’s been a while.” Richie took his napkin off his lap and placed it on the table as he stood up, clearly going in for a handshake, but Lionel pulled him into a hug.

Eddie frowned as he watched it happen, clutching his water glass tightly in his hand. He didn’t like other people touching Richie. Fans came up to him and hugged him and touched him all the time, and Richie was always super polite and hugged them back, but it made Eddie sort of anxious. They didn’t know those people, or what kinds of diseases they could be carrying, so Eddie always kept hand sanitizer in his pocket so he could give some to Richie the second he was free from their grasp.

“It certainly has!” Lionel agreed. “You look good, Rich.” He continued smiling, hand resting on Richie’s arm when they pulled away. He looked Richie up and down, and it made Eddie bristle, to have this man so blatantly checking Richie out.

“You do too,” Richie nodded. “Lionel, this is my fiancé, Eddie.” Richie gestured to Eddie, finally, where he was still sat in his seat.

“Hi,” Eddie stood and shook Lionel’s hand. “Eddie Kaspbrak.”

“Lionel Pryer.” His handshake was firm, and he had a tattoo of a wasp on the inside of his wrist. “Fiancé, huh?” He looked between Richie and Eddie. “Rich never seemed like the kind of guy to settle down.”

“I just hadn’t found my person.” Richie said easily, slinging his arm over Eddie’s shoulders.

“That’s great for you guys, really.” Lionel clapped Richie on the shoulder. “Well, I’ll be on my way out, wouldn’t want to bother you.”

“Oh, it’s no bother.” Richie shook his head. “It was good to see you, Lionel.”

“Yeah, you too, Rich.” He smiled at them again, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a business card. “In case you ever want to meet up again.” He winked at Richie. “Nice to meet you, Ed.” He held his hand out to Eddie again.

“It’s Eddie,” He said, less than politely.

“Right,” Lionel nodded. “Alright, later.”

“Bye,” Richie waved at Lionel as he waltzed down the street, turning the corner at the end of the block and disappearing.

“Give me that,” Eddie yanked the card out of Richie’s grip and examined it. “Who was that guy?” He asked as he looked the card over. It read ‘Lionel Pryer’ on the front and ‘Professional Fluffer’ on the back. “What the fuck is a fluffer?”

Richie laughed, settling back down into his seat. “It’s a joke. He’s a comedian, like me. We used to run into each other a lot when we were getting started. He was my good friend for a while.”

“Just your friend?” Eddie tucked the business card into his pocket.

Richie shrugged, taking a sip of his water. “We fooled around a few times. Nothing serious.” Eddie frowned from his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “Are you jealous, Eds?” Richie grinned at him.

“No,” Eddie shook his head.

“Oh my god, you are.” Richie kicked Eddie’s shin lightly under the table. “Baby, it’s ok, I’m not interested in Lionel, like, _at all_. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“He seemed pretty interested in you.”

Richie shrugged again. “I’m very popular with the bottoms out there, Eddie. A dick like mine comes along once in a lifetime.” He waggled his eyebrows at Eddie. “Ow, fuck!” He grumbled when Eddie kicked him, not very softly.

“Don’t be an asshole.”

“I think you know that I have to.” Richie still smiled at him, placing his hand, palm-up, on the table. When Eddie didn’t move he looked at his hand pointedly. “Eds, c’mon.” Eddie sighed and laced their fingers together over the tabletop. “Don’t be upset, baby. You’re the one that I want. Ooh ooh ooh, yeah.” He spoke the words to the song completely deadpan and it made Eddie laugh in spite of himself. “There he is.” Richie grinned and squeezed Eddie’s hand softly. “Love you.”

Eddie sighed. “Love you too.”

***

They finished their meal and then spent a few hours shopping, walking up and down the streets of Los Angeles, hands clasped together between them, popping in and out of stores all day, Richie cracking jokes with his arm thrown over Eddie’s shoulders, none the wiser to the jealously building in the pit of Eddie’s stomach.

He couldn’t stop thinking about fucking Lionel. How he’d spoken to Richie, how he’d touched him, how he’d checked him out so obviously as if Eddie wasn’t right there. It made him angry, but Richie seemed completely oblivious that anything was even wrong, still just holding up stupid knickknacks for Eddie to see and bending over to kiss his cheek whenever he got the chance.

When they finally headed home, Richie chattered the whole drive back, hand resting on Eddie’s thigh while he drove, blinking tiredly in the low light of the evening.

“What a day, Spahets.” He commented, tossing their shopping bags on the ground by the door while Eddie kicked off his shoes. “I’m knacked, Jack, what do you say we—mmph!” He was cut off by Eddie kissing him roughly, pushing him up against the front door and yanking him down by his hair. “Eds, Jesus—”

“Shut it,” Eddie grumbled, moving his attention to Richie’s throat, sucking hard on his pale skin.

“Babe, you’re going to leave a mark.”

“Good,” Eddie bit into the sharp line of Richie’s collarbone. “I can’t believe you let Lionel touch you. He was all over you, Richie. He was looking at you the way I look at you.”

“Fuck, Eds.” Richie jerked his hips forward, grinding against Eddie’s stomach.

“Shut it,” Eddie said again. “You’re mine, right?”

Richie nodded desperately, his head knocking against the wood of their front door. “Yes, of course.”

“Good,” Eddie stepped back and quickly moved to unbutton his pants. “Show me.”

Richie didn’t waste any time dropping to his knees, slapping Eddie’s hands out of the way so he could yank his jeans down to his mid-thighs, panting while he took Eddie’s cock in his hand and began pumping him. He was already fully hard and leaking, tip bright red as Richie darted his tongue out and licked softly at the head, whimpering quietly as he palmed himself through his pants. “Eds—”

“Stop touching yourself,” Eddie scolded, and Richie drew his hand back from his own crotch like he’d been burned, now using it to steady himself against Eddie’s thigh. “I’m going to fuck your face,” Eddie told him. “And if you’re good, I’ll let you cum.” Richie nodded eagerly, opening his mouth up and sticking his tongue out, just waiting for Eddie to slide in. “Take your glasses off.” Eddie mumbled.

Richie frowned up at him. “I want to see you,” He protested.

“I told you to be good, didn’t I?” Eddie fisted his hand in Richie’s hair and tugged, not quite hard enough to hurt him, but enough to get his point across.

Richie whined softly, eyelids fluttering as Eddie held him in place. “Yes,”

“Then take them off.” Richie pouted a little, bit did as Eddie asked, slipping his glasses off of his face and folding them up, leaning to the side and placing them gingerly on the shoe mat next to his sneakers. “Good boy.” Eddie murmured, and Richie basically purred at the praise. “Open up, baby. Be good.” Eddie used the hand that wasn’t holding Richie’s hair to grip the base of his cock, guiding the head to trace around the open circle of Richie’s lips for a few seconds, before jerking forward roughly and sliding all the way into Richie’s throat on the first thrust.

Richie made a choked noise around Eddie’s dick, clearly surprised by the quick start to things, but he just dug his blunt nails into the meat of Eddie’s thigh for a second before opening his mouth wider and relaxing his jaw, letting Eddie use him to get off.

“Fuck, baby, you look so good.” Eddie told him, watching a glob of spit dribble off his cock and plop down on Richie’s jean-clad thigh. “Being so good for me, Rich.” He swiped his hand through Richie’s messy hair. “You’re mine, aren’t you?” Richie made a hum of agreement around him, vibrating the blood in Eddie’s veins. “I’m the only one that gets to touch you like this, hm? You wouldn’t let Lionel touch you like this, would you?”

“Mm-mm,” Richie blinked up at Eddie, squinting as he struggled to see without his glasses.

“No, you wouldn’t.” Eddie agreed, running his finger down Richie’s hollowed out cheek. “You’re a whore, but you’re my whore.”

Eddie pulled out quickly, swiping the head of his dick over Richie’s lips again. “Yes,” Richie gasped out roughly.

“I’m gonna cum on your face,” Eddie told him, jerking himself in his hand, slick with Richie’s spit and his own precum.

“Yes, god, please.” Richie nodded rapidly, gripping Eddie’s thighs tightly with his hands, clearly struggling to follow Eddie’s order to not touch himself.

“Beg for it,”

“Please, Eddie, please cum on me.” Richie whispered, eyes wide and dark. “Make me fucking _filthy_ , Eds, please.”

“Tip your head back,” Eddie gritted out, using his hold on Richie’s hair to guide him where he wanted.

Richie kept his eyes closed while Eddie finished on his face, moaning quietly as streaks of cum landed on his cheekbones and eyelids, dripping off his lips and onto his tongue, where it was stuck out to catch some of Eddie’s orgasm. “Eddie,” He panted softly.

“You did so good, Rich.” Eddie praised him quietly, petting over Richie’s hair as he stroked himself through the aftershocks of his orgasm. “You can touch yourself, baby, go ahead.”

Richie had barely gotten his hand into his pants before he was cumming, whining high in his throat as he shook apart in his own fist. Eddie steadied his breathing as he kneeled down in front of Richie and used the hem of his own t-shirt to wipe his face clean. Richie squinted his eyes open as Eddie kissed the end of his nose softly. “Hey, hey, Spaghetti-Man.” He grinned, voice hoarse.

“Jesus, Rich, you sound terrible.” Eddie frowned, grabbing Richie’s glasses and slipping them on for him.

“And whose fault is that?” Richie raised his eyebrows.

“Lionel’s,” Eddie shrugged, kissing Richie’s cheek softly. “Come on,” He pushed himself to his feet and extended his hand to Richie. “Let’s get you cleaned off properly.”

Richie accepted Eddie’s hand and stood up with him. “Love you, Eddie.” He said softly.

“I love you too,” Eddie pecked his lips lightly. “Come on,” He said again. “We need to get you cleaned up so we can go to bed and suck face. I want to cuddle with you.”

Richie grinned and tipped an imaginary hat to Eddie. “Your wish is my command, lover boy.” He said with a wink.


	14. Donating Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie third-wheels on Mike and Bill's weird blood donation date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

“Alright, next.”

Eddie looked up from his cellphone. “Me?” He asked.

The nurse, a tall man with curly hair and Clark Kent glasses, nodded his head. “Yes, sir.” He said with a smile.

“Don’t be nervous, Eds.” Bill patted him on the back of the arm as he stood up. “I g-give blood all the time.”

“I don’t bite,” The nurse winked at him, nodding his head back past the little curtain separating the waiting room from the actual blood-drawing area.

“Mikey will be right out here when you’re d-d-done.” Bill said reassuringly.

“Right,” Eddie nodded, exhaling deeply and following the nurse through the little curtain.

He was a little anxious. He’d never donated blood before, but he’d recently discovered that his blood-type was rare, and that donating some of his blood could potentially help out other O Negative people, if they should ever need it, so he decided to tag along with Bill and Mike to give blood, as they went every Valentine’s Day to the hospital blood drive to give. Eddie didn’t have any plans, so he figured he could third wheel on Bill and Mike’s weird little blood date and actually do something helpful and good for someone.

But now that he was away from his friends, his anxiety was getting worse and worse. Mike had gone back first, and Eddie had still felt ok when he was left with Bill, but now that he was all on his own, he felt like he might need a shot of his inhaler, which was fucking stupid, because he never even actually had asthma in the first place, but his hand still patted his empty pocket for it.

“Alright,” The nurse sat Eddie down in a little chair and pulled up a stool next to him, looking down at his clipboard. “Let me just make sure I’ve got the right person with me. Edward Kaspbrak?”

“Eddie, yeah.” Eddie nodded, exhaling shakily.

“Hi, Eddie, I’m Richie.” He extended his hand.

“Hi,” Eddie shook it.

“Are you nervous?” Richie scanned the clipboard again, pushing his glasses back up.

“A little, yeah.” Eddie chuckled nervously.

“Hey, don’t be.” Richie patted his knee gently. “This’ll be over quick and you’ll be out of here and off to whatever fun plans you have for this evening in no time.”

“I don’t have any plans,” Eddie shook his head. “These are my plans.”

Richie smiled softly, still looking at the clipboard. “Fun plans to have,” He remarked. “I’m just gonna ask you some questions, Eddie, is that ok?”

“Yeah,”

“Alright. Have you gotten a tattoo in the last six months?”

“No, never.”

“Are you on any anti-depressants or anti-psychotics?”

“No,”

“Have you eaten today?”

“Uh, yeah, I had some breakfast.”

“About what time?” Richie frowned down at his watch.

“8:30, 9.”

“That was 6 hours ago.” Richie pointed out. “You haven’t had anything since?”

“No, I was, uh, too anxious to eat.”

“Hm,” Richie marked something down on his clipboard. “I’m worried you might faint if I draw from you right now.”

“I won’t faint.” Eddie shook his head.

Richie laughed shortly. “Just wait right here for a sec, alright?”

Eddie nodded, wringing his hands together in his lap while he watched Richie stand from his little stool and slip out of the curtained-off area.

Eddie exhaled slowly again, trying to steady his nerves. He was still super anxious, even though Richie was just about the nicest nurse Eddie had ever met, and he’d met a fuckload when he was a little kid. He just wanted to get this shit over with and go back home to mope around on his couch and watch his turtle, Wonton Soup, swim around in his little tank. It was the same way he’d spent the last 3 Valentine’s Days.

His phone buzzed in his pocket so he pulled it out, opening a new text from Bill.

_Mikey just came out, I’m going in. When we’re done here we can go get some pizza or something._

Eddie sent him a quick thumbs up emoji as Richie slipped back into the room. “Alright.” He sighed, plopping back down on his stool and wiping his hands on his teal scrubs. “I’ve got a cookie and some juice for you, so if you feel faint when we’re done, the sugar can help pick you back up. You aren’t, like, allergic to gluten or anything, are you?”

“No,” Eddie shook his head.

“Awesome,” Richie grinned, twisting around on his stool to start digging through the little chest of drawers for his supplies. “You’re a Virgo.” He said as he pulled on some purple gloves.

“What?” Eddie frowned.

“Your star sign. Your birthday.” Richie nodded towards his clipboard. “September 3rd.”

“Oh,” Eddie exhaled lightly, trying to steady his heartbeat as he watched Richie ready his needle. “Yeah, I guess.”

“I’m a Pisces.” Richie said, scooting his little stool closer. “Hold your arm out straight for me.”

“I don’t know anything about zodiac signs.” Eddie mumbled as Richie guided his arm into the right position.

“I just think it’s kinda neat.” Richie shrugged, carefully tying a tourniquet just above Eddie’s elbow. “This might pinch.”

“Ok,” Eddie said shakily.

“Hey, don’t be nervous.” Richie patted his hand lightly while watching his arm intently, waiting for his veins to make their presence known. “I’m very gentle.” He smiled up at Eddie softly.

Eddie returned Richie’s smile, albeit anxiously. “Sorry,” He shook his head. “I’ve just got a lot of nerves surrounding doctor stuff. I was, uh. . . sick. As a child. Or. Not really, I guess?” He shook his head again. “It’s hard to explain.”

“That must have been hard.” Richie commented, tearing open a package of alcohol wipes.

“Yeah, it was.” Eddie agreed. “My mom was. . .” He exhaled heavily, shaking his head. “She was a piece of work.”

“Make a fist for me.” Richie patted Eddie’s wrist again. “Y’know, you’re doing a good thing here, Eds. Donating your blood, I mean. Being a universal donor is really cool.” He picked up his little needle and held it just away from Eddie’s arm. “Ready?”

Eddie nodded. “Yeah,” He said softly.

“Alright, one, two, three.” Richie pushed the needle in quickly, holding it in place with his thumb while he grabbed a strip of medical tape. “Doing ok?” He asked as Eddie watched his blood zip through the little tube and start flowing into the bag.

“Yeah,” Eddie said again. “Keep talking. Distract me. What’s your blood type?”

“AB positive.” Richie pushed his glasses back up with his wrist.

“Anything special about that?”

Richie shrugged. “I can get blood from anyone.”

“That must be nice.”

“If I was a vampire, maybe.” Richie grinned at him.

Eddie laughed softly, eyes locked on his blood pouring into the little bag. “Do you have any plans for Valentine’s Day?”

“You’re lookin’ at em, bub.” Richie sighed. “My friend was trying to get me to third wheel on a date with he and his wife, but.” He shrugged again. “I tag along on enough of their dates, I figured I could give them a night alone for the holiday.”

“I’m actually third wheeling right now.” Eddie laughed. “My friend and his boyfriend come here every year for this and they asked me to come along this year, so.” He glanced up to meet Richie’s eyes for a second. “They had this half baked idea that I could meet a guy here. Some sort of Prince Charming, here at a hospital blood drive.”

Richie laughed again. “I guess you never know, Eds.” Richie tapped Eddie’s hand and winked at him. “Anything could happen.”

Eddie smiled at him again, laughing softly as his eyes fell back to his blood bag, now almost half full. Was Richie _flirting_ with him? Or was he just being nice? He did seem awful touchy for a nurse, although Eddie couldn’t be sure, because the nurses in the hospital where he grew up were always old and mean, and Richie was young and nice and funny and cute. Eddie decided to try and flirt back, unfortunately what came out was, “Are you gay?”

Richie blinked at him with wide eyes as Eddie flushed a dark red, hoping and praying to whatever powers that be that he’d just melt into the floor and never have to exist ever again. After a second, however, Richie laughed. “Am I that obvious?” He asked.

“No, I’m sorry.” Eddie said quickly. “I’m just being an idiot, I’m so sorry, I’m just anxious and you were being nice and cute and I—” _Stop talking!_ He scolded himself. “Jesus Christ, I’m making an ass of myself.” He mumbled, dropping his head back against the chair.

Richie laughed again, patting Eddie’s wrist lightly. “Hey, no sweat, Eddie. I think you’re pretty cute too.”

Eddie snorted. “You’re just being nice.”

“Fuck no,” Richie insisted, and Eddie turned back to look at him. “You’re a regular old twunk, if I do say so myself.”

Eddie spluttered and Richie laughed again, clearly pleased with himself as Eddie flushed about a hundred shades of red. “Oh my god.” He groaned.

“But for real, Eds, you’re done.” Richie pulled the bag away to label it, and Eddie was surprised to see that the needle was already out of his arm and he had a little cotton ball in the ditch of the elbow, held in place by Richie’s gloved hand.

“Oh, shit.” Eddie bent his arm to keep the cotton ball in place while Richie peeled another piece of tape. “I didn’t even feel it.”

“Told you I was gentle.” Richie smiled, stripping off his gloves and chucking them in the trash before passing the little carton of orange juice to Eddie. “Drink up.” He held the blood bag up for Eddie to see. “Want to say goodbye?”

Eddie shook his head, sipping the juice through a straw. “Pass.”

“Rude,” Richie remarked, gathering up the rest of his medical supplies to throw away.

“When does the blood drive end?” Eddie asked. “Like what time do you get out of here?”

“We stop collecting at 5, everything gets put away by 6.”

“Great. Want to get dinner with me?” Eddie asked, feeling remarkably brave after downing most of his orange juice.

Richie dropped his hands down to rest on his thighs, blowing out a short breath. “Absolutely.” He said with a grin.


	15. Exams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie helps Eddie relax after his exams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

“Top of the morning to you, young Edward.” Richie grinned at Eddie from his place on the couch; the same fucking place he’d been when Eddie left for his first exam at 7:30.

“It’s 2:15, Rich.” Eddie grumbled, throwing his bag down on the floor and kicking off his shoes. “You suck.”

Richie frowned. “I didn’t even do anything.”

“Exactly.” Eddie sighed, collapsing into their armchair. “You haven’t done a single thing since I left. I have 3 exams today and another two tomorrow. And 2 more on Friday. And you’ve been wearing those sweatpants since Sunday.”

Richie glanced down at his sweats. “No, I haven’t.”

“That’s the Chinese food we had two nights ago.” Eddie pointed at a stain on Richie’s thigh with his socked foot.

“Huh,” Richie said, examining the stain. “I guess you’re right.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“Don’t be jealous, Spaghetti.”

“Richie, I have never, not once in my life, been jealous of you.”

Richie stuck out his bottom lip, pouting at Eddie. “What’s got your panties all in a bunch, Eds?”

“These exams are kicking my ass, Rich.” Eddie mumbled, rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his hands.

He’d obviously known that when he went to college, he’d be working a lot harder than he had in high school, especially since he was doubling up on courses to try and graduate early, and he thought living with Richie would make things a little easier on him. He’d known Richie his whole life, he was his best friend, he fucking loved Richie because he was so laidback and (relatively) easy to get along with, aside from occasionally being so annoying that Eddie thought about smothering him in his sleep. But living with Richie during exam season was nothing but stressful. Richie had a modest course load, only taking a few classes each semester for his radio broadcasting degree, so it often seemed to Eddie like he never had any work to do, and that just made Eddie angry.

He knew it wasn’t Richie’s fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault really, except for maybe his own for biting off more than he could chew, but still, Richie didn’t have to rub it in his face by just hanging around all day. He could at least make it seem like he had shit going on.

“Sounds like someone needs a Tozier Special.” Richie commented.

“No, Richie—”

“Get over here, Eds.”

“Richie, I’m serious—”

“Don’t make me come get you.” Richie insisted. When Eddie didn’t move, Richie raised his eyebrows. “I’m not above carrying you, Eddie.” And since Eddie knew Richie wasn’t joking, that he actually would come pick him up, he stood from his chair and walked over to the couch, directly into Richie’s open arms. “There he is.” Richie murmured, wrapping Eddie up in a tight hug and pulling him properly into his lap.

Richie called this special kind of hug ‘The Tozier Special’, and reserved it for special occasions, like Christmas or New Years, and it was for Eddie and Eddie only. Richie and Eddie had always been super affectionate when they were growing up; always sleeping in the same bed at group sleepovers, hugging each other hello and goodbye, and even giving each other kisses on the cheeks sometimes, or holding hands while they laid in bed together, listening to music or just talking.

Richie had invented The Tozier Special when they were teenagers. Eddie had had a real fucking bitch of a time getting along with his mother when he was going through puberty, and he often snuck out of the house to try and avoid her overbearing nature. He’d bike over to Richie’s and sit up in his bedroom with him, trying and failing to keep from crying while Richie listened to him complain, and when he got so flustered that he couldn’t speak anymore, Richie would wrap him up tightly in his arms and just hold him until he calmed down.

It was one of Eddie’s favorite things about Richie; he always knew when Eddie needed to be held. Like right now. Despite Eddie’s initial protests to being hugged, he melted right into Richie’s arm like he always did, holding him back and pressing his face into his shoulder through his stupid fucking Alice In Chains band tee.

“I’ve got ya, Eds.” Richie assured him gently, and Eddie hadn’t even realized that he’d started crying until his cheek pressed against the soaked material of Richie’s shirt. “My little Spaghetti-O.”

“Shut up.” Eddie grumbled, body shaking with Richie’s laughter.

“Love you,”

“You’re annoying.”

“I said ‘I love you,’ Eddie.” Richie squeezed him tightly.

Eddie sighed, squeezing him back. “I love you too.” He turned his face into Richie’s neck and breathed in the scent of his soap. “You are annoying, though.”

“I’ll take it.” Richie decided. “Want to watch a movie?”

“I should really study, Rich.” Eddie groaned. He wanted nothing more than to lay on the couch all night and watch a movie with Richie, but he wasn’t fucking around when he said he had four more exams over the next two days.

“We can pick a short one?” Richie suggested, still holding Eddie firmly to his chest. “C’mon, Eds. Let’s order a pizza and watch something. We could watch _Jurassic Park_ again.”

“That’s not a short movie.”

“Yeah, but who cares? It has dinosaurs, Eddie. Fuckin’ dinosaurs, man. All up in that kitchen. It’s great.”

Eddie chuckled against Richie’s shoulder softly. “Fine,” He relented. “We can watch your stupid movie. But I’m serious, Rich, I really need to study tonight.”

“I’ll help you as soon as we’re done.”

“Yeah, right.” Eddie snorted.

Richie pulled back. “I swear, Eds.” He made an X over his heart with his index finger. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, but pulled Richie in again regardless. “Let’s get this show on the road, then, Rich.”

“Hell yeah,” Richie gave Eddie another tight squeeze before practically hurling himself off the couch to throw the tape in the vcr. “You order the pizza, Spaghets, I’ll get some soda.” He grabbed the landline from the tv stand and tossed it back to Eddie on the couch. “And cover your eyes while I rewind the tape, I don’t want to spoil anything for you.”

Eddie rolled his eyes again, laughing. “We’ve already seen this movie, like, 10 times.”

“Shh!” Richie hushed as Eddie dialed the phone. “I want it to be a surprise.”

Eddie smiled fondly down at Richie while he rewinded the cassette, already feeling way better than he had when he walked in the door.


	16. Red Dress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beverly asks Richie to be her maid of honor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

When Beverly first asked Richie to be her maid of honor, he thought she was joking around. He’d laughed along with her for a minute, but in the end she’d laid her hand on his wrist and asked him again, for real, to please be her maid of honor, because he was her best friend and she wanted him to be.

So he’d said yes, because he loved Beverly like fucking crazy and would do everything in his power to give her whatever she wanted, and if she wanted Richie to be her maid of honor, he’d be the best damn maid of honor there ever was.

Bev was just about the best wedding planner Richie had ever met. She knew exactly what she wanted and how to get a good deal on it, not taking shit from anyone and not being upsold on a bunch of useless crap she didn’t need from vendors. It was actually pretty impressive to watch, as Richie tagged along while she and Ben tasted cakes, while Beverly picked out their floral arrangments, while Ben got fitted for his tux with his groomsmen, (which was just Bill, Stan, and Eddie) and especially when Richie went along to get fitted for the bridal party outifts.

Ben had made Beverly promise not to do any work she didn't have to for the wedding, which included her not handmaking every single tux and dress the wedding party had to wear, so she'd simply drawn up the designs for the outfits and passed them off to a tailor.

Beverly had picked red for her party's color, and yellow for Ben's, so while Ben and the other guys went to get fitted for their tuxes, Richie was helping Patty, Stan's wife, slip into a short red dress. "I think they'll have to adjust the boob cups." Patty frowned at her reflection as Richie zipped her up. "I'm not as big up here as they were expecting."

"I'm sure I won't be either," Richie joked, crouching down to help Patty step into her heels.

"How's it look, Pats?" Mike called from the other side of the curtain.

Richie pushed himself to his feet and watched as Patty turned in the mirror, examining herself. "Sexy," Richie yelled back.

Patty snorted and swatted at his arm. "Do you think I should wear my contacts for the actual ceremony?" Patty asked, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

“If you want everyone to cream their pants, maybe.” Richie told her.

She laughed loudly. “Are you saying my glasses make me ugly?”

“Of course not.” Richie patted her shoulder and smiled at her reflection. “You’re drop-dead-fucking-out-of-the-park-gorgeous already, but if you were flashing those baby-blues at us uncovered? We wouldn’t stand a chance. You don’t want to upstage Bev on her wedding day, do you?”

Patty laughed again, sighing. “No, I guess not. I wish you all had been around when Stan and I got married.”

Richie exhaled heavily, frowning down at his sneakers. “Yeah, me too.”

Mike opened the curtain and poked his head in. “What are you guys talking about?”

“Peeping Toms.” Richie said easily. “Speak of the devil.”

Mike rolled his eyes. “I just wanted to make sure nothing untoward was going on in here. I’d hate for Eddie to kill you both.”

Patty laughed. “He can try.” She reached up and pinched Richie’s cheek.

“Ay, hands off the merchandise.” He muttered, swatting her hand away.

“Let me see, Patty!” Beverly said from behind the curtain, clearly having just walked in from the other room.

Richie followed Patty and Mike out of the dressing room, almost bursting into tears when he saw Beverly in her wedding gown. Luckily, he wasn’t alone, as Patty began fanning at her face and Mike turned away to sniffle into his palm. “Oh, Bevvie, you look so beautiful.” Richie said softly.

She grinned at them, turning so her many petticoats fluttered around her. “You like it?”

“You look amazing, Bev.” Mike said thickly, clearing his throat.

“Jesus, Bill told me you might cry.” Bev teased, patting him gently on the shoulder.

“Oh, what does he know?” Mike swatted her away, although to be fair, he was crying.

“Stuttering fuck,” Richie said sympathetically, clapping Mike on the back.

“Eddie said you’d probably cry too, Rich.” Bev grinned at him.

“Then he’s a fool.” Richie pushed his glasses back up, actually really proud of himself for holding it together while Patty and Mike melted down in the corner.

“You don’t have you suit on,” Beverly complained.

“That’s because it isn’t finished yet, duh.” Richie rolled his eyes. “Have some patience, young Beverly.”

“I’m older than you.”

“Oh my god, barely.” He gestured to Mike as he sobbed quietly in the corner. “Mikey has his suit on, go pick at him.”

“I’m not going to _pick_ at you,” Bev frowned as she picked at Mike, adjusting his lapels and straightening out his dark red cummerbund. “I just want to make sure everything is right. Patty, your boobs cups are too big.”

“I _know_ ,” Patty sighed as Beverly attempted to smoosh her boob cups into smaller shapes.

“Am I going to have to tell Stan you were groping his wife?” Richie smiled as Bev reached into Patty’s top to adjust her.

“Go ahead, I’m not scared of him.” Bev shrugged.

“Bev and I are running away together.” Patty said. “Hopefully Ben and Stanley can find comfort in each other.”

“If only.” Richie sighed. “Benjamin is tragically heterosexual.”

“Don’t bully him.” Bev finally pulled her hands out of Patty’s cleavage and turned back to Richie. “He can’t help it.”

“I think maybe we can fix Ben.” Mike surmised. “Bill used to be straight too.”

“Oh my god, leave Ben alone.” Bev put her hands on her hips. “He’s perfect the way he is.”

They all laughed as one of the tailors walked back into the room. “Ms. Marsh? We have some questions about this alteration?”

“Sure,” Bev straightened out the bodice of her dress before gathering up her skirt and following the tailor out of the room.

“I can’t believe your tux isn’t ready, Rich.” Mike frowned, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

“They probably had to let out the crotch on the pants.” Richie shrugged. “I need a lot of room down there.”

“I’m telling Eddie that you sexually harassed me.”

Richie grinned over at him. “Don’t act like you’ve never met me before, Mikey.”

“I wish that I hadn’t,”

Richie pouted and laid his hand over his heart. “I hope you’re pleased with yourself, Michael. I’ll never recover from this.”

“You’re such a drama queen,” Mike laughed as Richie’s phone pinged a new message.

“We’ll have to continue this later,” Richie stepped away to check his phone, smiling down at the picture message that Eddie had sent; him standing in front of a mirror in a tailor’s shop, dressed in his wedding tux, with its sunflower-yellow cummerbund and tie.

 _Lookin’ good ;)_ , Richie sent.

Eddie’s reply came almost immediately. _Remind me again why I’m letting Beverly dress me up as Big Bird for her wedding?_

Richie laughed before replying. _Because you’re a good friend. And I’m going dressed as Elmo, so at least we’ll match._

 _Talk about an Odd Couple._ Eddie sent back.

 _Hey! I’m supposed to be funny one in this relationship, Eds._ Richie typed.

 _When do you start?_ Eddie replied.

Richie laughed again before sending back a simple, _:(_ , and pocketing his phone so he could rejoin Patty and Mike to finish their fittings.


	17. Razor Cuts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie learns to shave with a little help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

“Jesus, Eds, what happened to your face?” Richie took Eddie’s chin in his hand and turned his face towards the sunlight filtering through the clubhouse hatch-door. “Did you get into a fight with a street cat?”

“No,” Eddie frowned and swatted Richie’s hands away, sinking into the hammock. The truth was that he’d tried shaving by himself. He had no one to teach him how to do it properly, as his father was dead and had been for a long time, and he sure as fuck wasn’t about to ask his mother. “I’m fine.” He shrugged, tucking in on himself in the hopes that Richie would just drop it.

“Eddie, you look like you face-planted into a paper shredder.” Richie kept frowning at him. “What happened, man? Did your mom hit you or something?”

“No,” Eddie shook his head. He’d confided in Richie that Sonia had hit him before, only a handful of times, but now Richie always assumed that when Eddie was hurt that his mother had something to do with it.

“Someone from school?”

“ _No_.” Eddie sighed. “I’m fine, Rich, can you please just drop it?”

Richie just kept on frowning at him. “I’m trying to help, Eds.”

“I don’t need any help.” Eddie had come to the clubhouse in the hopes of running into Ben.

Ben also didn’t have a father, so Eddie had planned on asking him if he knew how to shave, figuring if not that they could figure it out together, like some sort of weird bonding exercise. He didn’t want to ask Bill or Mike, as he knew their relationships with their respective father-figures were a little strained, (Bill’s father Zach often ignored Bill completely, having changed from a great father to a virtually absent one after Georgie died, and Mike’s grandfather put a lot of pressure on Mike, and Mike often got upset when he had to ask his grandfather for help with things, once confiding in Eddie at a sleepover that his grandfather told Mike he was disappointed in him) and he didn’t want to ask Richie, because he actually had a pretty good relationship with his father, Wentworth, and it sometimes made Eddie sad to be around them. He often wondered what his own father, Frank, would have been like if he hadn’t have died when Eddie was a little kid.

Richie was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, just studying Eddie’s face in the dull light of the clubhouse. “They kind of look like razor cuts, Eds.”

Eddie exhaled all at once, annoyed. “Yeah, and? So I fucking cut myself while I was shaving, so what?”

Richie’s eyes widened and he held up his hands. “Whoa, Eds—”

“Richie, I told you to drop it, didn’t I? I don’t want to talk about it, ok?” Annoyingly, Eddie felt his eyes prick with tears. He hated that he cried when he got frustrated, but he couldn’t help it. He wiped at his eyes quickly with the back of his hand, hoping Richie wouldn’t notice, but of course he did.

“Eds, I’m sorry, man, I didn’t mean to make you upset.” Richie said softly, crouching on the floor in front of Eddie and laying his hand on his bare knee.

Eddie sighed, a few tears actually spilling, despite the fact that he was actively trying to calm down; he didn’t want to blow up on Richie, he knew he was just trying to help. “No, I’m sorry, Rich, I shouldn’t have snapped at you, I just.” He shrugged. “I was embarrassed, I guess.”

“Because you cut yourself shaving?” Richie looked confused, his eyebrows pulled together.

Eddie laughed softly as the bewildered expression on Richie’s face. “No, because I did such a shitty job at it in the first place.” He shrugged. “I don’t have anyone to teach me, y’know?”

Richie nodded slowly, seeming to understand what Eddie meant. “I could ask Went to show you.” He offered after a second.

“No, Rich, come on, thats—”

“Why not?” Richie asked. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. He showed me and Ben.”

Eddie frowned at him. “He showed Ben?”

“Sure,” Richie nodded. “Ben asked me for help because he didn’t know how so I asked my dad to show him. Went doesn’t mind.” He poked Eddie’s kneecap lightly. “Really, Eds, I can ask.”

Eddie chewed on the inside of his cheek for a second, contemplating. Eddie liked Richie’s father a lot; Wentworth was always kind to him, and he knew that Richie loved his father, they had one of the best father-son relationships Eddie had ever seen, and Wentworth often treated Eddie like his son as well. “Ok, yeah.” Eddie said after a second. “That would be great.”

***

“Alright, son, go ahead and wet the razor.” Wentworth patted Eddie lightly on the shoulder.

Richie and Eddie had walked over to Richie’s house following their talk in the clubhouse, and Wentworth had immediately agreed to teach Eddie how to shave, so Eddie spent the next few days letting his wispy facial hair grow in before biking over to Richie’s house for his shaving lesson with Richie’s father.

They now stood in the upstairs bathroom in front of the mirror, Eddie with shaving foam already on his face, Wentworth directing him in the mirror, and Richie sitting on the edge of the tub cheering Eddie on while he worked.

“Woo-hoo!” Richie clapped softly. “Go Eds!”

“Richard, shh.” Wentworth shot him a stern look. “Go ahead, Eddie. Remember, shave down, with the grain. It’s harder to cut yourself that way.”

“Right,” Eddie nodded, exhaling slowly as he swiped the razor through the running water from the tap, shaking off the excess before raising it to his cheek. “Like this?”

“Yup, you’ve got it, go ahead.” Wentworth encouraged him softly.

Following Richie’s father’s instructions, Eddie swiped the razor over his face again and again, following the previous lines in the shaving foam left behind by the blade, occasionally tipping his chin up to shave underneath, all the while being cheered on by Richie and having soft praise mumbled to him by Wentworth.

It was nice, Eddie thought, almost like having a dad, and it was easier to learn things the way Wentworth taught them, as opposed to having his mother bark orders at him and then have a meltdown if he messed up or got hurt.

When he was done, Richie’s father handed him a wet towel to clean off the excess shaving foam and shook the razor out over the sink, handing it to Eddie when it was clean. “Go ahead and keep this, son, for the next time you need it.”

“Thank you.” Eddie smiled up at him. “For teaching me and for the razor.”

“Of course,” Wentworth smiled back, eyes crinkling, and patted Eddie on the shoulder. “If you ever need help with anything like this, Eddie, don’t hesitate to ask me, I’m more than happy to help you out. My own father died when I was young, so I know what it’s like.” He shook Eddie’s hand firmly.

“Thank you,” Eddie said again.

“You’re welcome.” He ruffled Eddie’s hair and then did the same to Richie’s before smiling at them again and turning to walk out.

“Lookin’ spiffy, Eds.” Richie grinned at him, poking his cheek. “And I thought you were cute before.”

“I’m not cute.”

“Cute, cute, _cute_.” Richie wrapped Eddie up in a headlock, tightening his grip while Eddie tried to wriggle away.

“Cut it out, Richie, I’m still holding this fucking razor!” Eddie shouted, pinching at Richie’s sides to try and get him to let go.

When he pinched Richie’s nipple fucking hard, Richie finally released him with an annoyed, “Ow, fuck!” but he smiled at Eddie anyway, watching him fix his hair and straighten out his shirt.

“You’re an asshole.” Eddie informed him.

“You wound me, Eddie, my love.” Richie pressed his hand over his heart. “Eddie, my love, I love you so—!” Richie continued singing even after Eddie clamped his hand over his mouth, lyrics muffled by his palm, but grinning regardless.


	18. Green Bananas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie brings an unripe banana to lunch one day, much to Eddie's disgust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw

“You can’t eat green bananas, Richie.” Eddie scowled at Richie from across the lunch table.

Richie frowned down at the fruit in his hands. “Why not?”

“Because it isn’t ripe yet, you idiot.” Eddie rolled his eyes. “You’ll get a stomach ache.”

Richie laughed, elbowing Ben lightly to try and get him in on his foolishness, but Ben was too invested in whatever he was saying to Mike to care about Richie. “It’s not like it’s going to poison me, Eds, it’s still a banana.” He shrugged and cracked the top open, peeling the green skin down to reveal the still green, unripened fruit underneath.

“You’re disgusting.” Eddie frowned at him as Richie bit off the top of the banana and began chomping on it. “I can’t believe Maggie even packed you that.”

“Went packed it.” Richie shrugged, chewing with his mouth open. “Mags is at her sister’s house for the week. She just had a baby.”

“Chew with your fucking mouth closed, Richie, Jesus Christ, you’re an animal.”

Richie just laughed again, munching on his banana and reaching over to pat Eddie lightly on the wrist while he poked at his carrot sticks.

And much to Eddie’s annoyance, Richie started bringing green bananas to lunch every day, gobbling down the unripe fruit with a shit-eating grin on his face while Eddie scowled at him from his place between Stanley and Bill.

***

“One side, Spaghetti-Man.” Richie announced as he barreled into the kitchen, pushing past Eddie to set two armfuls of grocery bags on the island. “I got it all in one trip.” He said proudly, grinning at the bags before leaning over and kissing Eddie’s cheek.

“I would have come out to help you.” Eddie scoffed, watching as Richie began unpacking the groceries. “Why didn’t you bring the reusable bags, honey?”

“I forgot,” Richie shrugged, tossing a few of the empty plastic bags in the trash. “I’ll bring them next time.”

“You’re single-handedly killing the planet,”

Richie snorted, reaching high above Eddie’s head to slide a box of Cap’n Crunch in the cereal cabinet, directly between Eddie’s own boxes of Raisin Bran and Unfrosted Mini Wheats. “It’s a lot of work for one guy to do, Eds, but hey,” He shrugged again. “Someone’s gotta do it.”

“I’m sure Earth appreciates it.” Eddie stepped around Richie to put away a little jar of quinoa.

“Bananas were on sale, baby, so I got a metric fuck-load.” Richie said over his shoulder, putting away cans of soup. “I figured we could make banana bread or something, maybe.”

“Do you know how to make banana bread?” Eddie asked as he pulled out two whole bunches of bananas.

“Nope,” Richie collected the last of the plastic bags and tossed them in the trash can. “But I’m sure we can look it up. Or maybe grandma Ben can come by and show us.”

“Don’t bully Ben, he’s sensitive.”

Richie rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ, you and Beverly always trying to discourage me from ripping on Ben.” He yanked a banana off the bunch and began peeling it. “If you like Ben so much, why don’t you—”

“You can’t eat that.” Eddie laid his hand overtop of Richie’s to stop his movements.

Richie frowned down at their hands. “It’s one banana, Eds. We’ve got, like, 30 of them, I’m sure we’ll have plenty left to—”

“No,” Eddie plucked the banana from Richie’s hands and set it on the island. “It’s green, Richie, it isn’t ripe yet.”

Richie’s eyes flashed to the fruit and then back up to Eddie. “So?”

“So, you’re supposed to wait for them to turn yellow, man. You’re gonna get a tummy ache.”

Richie laughed. “Eddie, I only ever eat green bananas. I have my whole life.” He shrugged, picking it up off the counter and continuing to peel it. “It’s never bothered me before.”

Eddie frowned as he watched Richie’s long fingers work the peel of the fruit down. “Are you fucking kidding me?” He grumbled.

Richie blinked up at him. “Wha—?”

Eddie shoved his shoulder. “You’re such an ass, Richie. You fucking eat green bananas because of that one time I yelled at you for it.” Richie continued to blink at him, clearly not remembering. “In high school, dumbass. When your cousin was born and Went packed your lunch for a week. He gave you green bananas and I bitched at you so you ate it just to spite me.”

Richie furrowed his brow, staring down at his banana for a minute, brain clearly working around the memory. After a second, he busted out laughing; _really_ fucking laughing, like with tears streaming down his cheeks and everything. “Jesus fucking _Christ_ , baby, that’s hilarious!” He howled, doubling over and slapping his flat palm against the island. “Oh my good fucking god, are you for real? I can’t believe Pennywise wasted his fucking _time_ making me forget that! That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard in my entire _life_ , Eddie.” He wiped away some tears. “I’ve been eating unripe bananas for thirty fucking years, babe. And I did it all to spite you when I didn’t even know who you were.”

“You’re such an ass.” Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Oh my god, Eds, I can’t believe that you don’t think that’s funny.” Richie placed his hand on Eddie’s shoulder.

“Oh yeah, Rich, it’s fucking _hilarious_.” Eddie shook Richie’s hand off. “I think it’s a real goddam riot that you’ve spent the majority of your life doing something that annoys me when you didn’t even know who I was.”

“Oh no, baby, don’t be mad.” Richie pinched Eddie’s cheeks.

“I’m not _mad_ ,” Eddie batted Richie’s hands away, glaring up at his stupid dumb face as he grinned.

“Good,” Richie picked the banana back up and finished peeling it, holding eye contact with Eddie while he licked over the tip of it before sucking half of it into his mouth at once.

“Jesus,” Eddie mumbled, swallowing thickly as Richie grinned around the fruit and winked at him.

“I can think of a different banana that needs my attention, anyway.” Richie plopped the banana back on the counter before stepping forward and unbuttoning Eddie’s pants.

“You’re such a freak.” Eddie breathed out, laying his hands on Richie’s shoulders and pushing him to his knees.

“You love it.” Richie grinned up at him, kissing under Eddie’s bellybutton softly before tugging his jeans and boxers down.

“Maybe a little less talking and a little more sucking?” Eddie raked his hand through Richie’s hair.

“Impatient.” Richie hummed, pumping Eddie’s cock once before sucking him down fully, nose pressing into Eddie’s pubes as he rolled his tongue around the underside of his dick.

“God, Rich.” Eddie hung his head back, scratching through Richie’s hair gently, tugging on the curls.

“Mm,” Richie mumbled, bobbing steadily, gripping Eddie’s cock around the base with one hand, all the while palming over his own erection with the other hand.

“I’m close, baby.” Eddie told him, still petting through his hair.

“Mm-hm.” Richie nodded slowly, eyes flicking up to meet Eddie’s.

He blinked at him once before continuing his efforts, sucking hard around Eddie, and jerking what he couldn’t fit in his mouth with his hand, bringing Eddie to the edge and eagerly swallowing down everything Eddie gave him when he came, softly whispering, “Richie,” as his hips twitched forward a few more times.

When Eddie was finished, Richie’s eased himself off, kissing Eddie’s hip softly and tucking him back into his jeans before standing up and kissing him softly on the cheek. “Thank you,”

“Why are you thanking me?” Eddie huffed a laugh as Richie picked up his previously discarded banana and took a bite.

“Because I wanted to suck your cock and you let me, even though you were mad at me.”

“I wasn’t mad.” Eddie said again, watching as Richie ate his whole banana in three huge bites.

“Yeah, but you were annoyed with me.” Richie grinned at him, tossing his banana peel in the garbage. “I could tell.”

Eddie shrugged, stepping up in front of Richie’s and gently unbuckling his belt. “I’m always annoyed with you.” He pecked Richie’s lips lightly. “But I love you anyway.”

“How sweet.” Richie smiled, gathering Eddie’s face in his hands and kissing his nose. “I love you too, baby.” He planted another kiss between Eddie’s eyebrows. “Now, you wanna give me a hand here, Eds?” He pushed his hips forwards to grind against Eddie’s stomach. “I’ve got a banana with your name on it.”


	19. Spicy Egg Roll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie doesn’t handle spicy food very well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

“Let’s get some food, Eds.” Richie suggested, gently squeezing Eddie’s hand in his own as they walked down the sidewalk. “I’m fuckin’ starving, babe.” 

“Sure, yeah.” Eddie agreed, his own stomach rumbling. They’d been walking the streets of LA all day, doing some light shopping for their weekly date, and occasionally pausing so Richie could take pictures and sign autographs for fans. Eddie loved Richie, and he was glad that he got to do what he loved, but it was more than a little annoying that he had to share his boyfriend with the rest of the world. They’d spent 30 years apart, couldn’t Eddie have him for one afternoon? 

“What are you thinkin’, there, Spaghetti-Man?” Richie asked casually, throwing his arm over Eddie’s shoulders and drawing him into his side. 

“I’m cool with whatever,” Eddie shrugged, kissing Richie’s ribs lightly through the soft fabric of his t-shirt. 

Usually Eddie was pretty particular about what he ate, as he was mindful of his (and Richie’s) health, and didn’t want either of them (but mostly Richie) to die at the age of fifty from a heart attack caused entirely by eating nothing but hot pockets for every meal for a week straight, but today was his cheat day, and he’d choked down a kale salad with no dressing yesterday at lunch with Beverly and Ben, so he was more than fine with eating whatever disgustingly greasy comfort food Richie decided on. 

“Eddie, my love, I love you so.” Richie kissed the top of Eddie’s head, squeezing him tightly. 

“You’re a dork,” Eddie hid his smile in Richie’s armpit. 

“Maybe so,” Richie agreed, steering Eddie down a side street by his arm over his shoulders. “What do you say to some Chinese food, baby-love?” Eddie tensed for a second, mind drifting back to the last time he’d had Chinese food; back in Derry at The Jade of the Orient, and Richie must have sensed his discomfort, because he immediately added, “Or not, it’s whatever.” 

Eddie blinked heavily, clearing his throat, the memory of the flying fortune cookie dive-bombing he and Ben flashing through his brain. “No, no.” Eddie tilted his face up to look at Richie, almost laughing at the expression of genuine concern that he was wearing. “Chinese food would be great.” He decided. “Let’s do it.” 

*** 

Richie chose a little place called “Great Tangs”, and it was just a short walk from where they’d parked their car earlier in the day, so they strolled in at around 3 and were seated immediately by a pretty, young asian woman wearing a name tag that read “Allie”. 

Eddie ordered tea and Richie got a lemonade, hooking their ankles together under the table while they perused the menus. 

Their drinks came pretty quickly and Allie pulled a pad of paper and a pen out of her apron to take their order. 

“I’ll have the spare rib combo,” Eddie told her, handing the menu back. “Vegetable fried rice, please.” 

She nodded, scribbling it down. “And you, sir?” She asked Richie. 

“Sweet and sour chicken combo please, and could I have a spicy egg roll with that?” Richie handed her his menu. 

“Of course, I’ll go put you order in.” She smiled politely before turning and walking away. 

“Since when do you eat spicy food?” Eddie tapped Richie’s ankle with his foot. 

Richie frowned. “I love spicy food, Eds.” 

“Richie, we’ve been together for almost a year now, and I spent my entire childhood attached to your hip, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat spicy food. Not once.” 

Richie scoffed, sipping his lemonade. “Shows how much you pay attention, Eds.” 

“You’re gonna fuck up your stomach,” Eddie replied easily, drumming his fingers on the outside of his teacup. 

“I will not,” Richie crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m a grown man, Eddie, I know what I can and cannot handle.” 

“You’re old as hell, you never eat spicy food, you’re white, and you’re Jewish. This is gonna fuck up your stomach, and I’m gonna be stuck taking care of you.” 

“How so very dare you.” Richie gasped, placing his hand over his heart as Allie returned with their plates. Richie picked up his egg roll and immediately took a huge bite. “I’ll be fine, Eds, I guarantee it.” 

*** 

Richie had been laying on their bed groaning softly for the last half hour. 

He’d been relatively fine during dinner, but started getting a tummy ache on the ride home, keeping mostly quiet and simply running his thumb over Eddie’s knuckles while he drove, as opposed to cracking jokes or scream-singing along to songs on the radio as he usually did. 

When they got home Richie went straight to bed, not even bothering to take off his jacket or his jeans before collapsing in the middle of their king sized mattress and curling up on his side. 

Eddie tried to resist the urge to say “I told you so,” because Richie was clearly upset and the last thing he needed was a shit-eating comment from Eddie, even if it was exactly what he deserved. 

“I’m gonna die, Eds.” Richie whined, pressing his face into his pillow as Eddie settled on the bed next to him. “Tell our kids I love them.” 

“We don’t have any kids, Rich.” Eddie brushed Richie’s hair back from his face and plucked his glasses off for him, setting them on his nightstand. 

“Well, we’d better hurry up and make some so I can go ahead and orphan them.” 

“You’re so dramatic,” 

“Please, Eds, it’s my dying wish. Tell them that I was hilarious.” 

“Now you want me to lie to them?” 

Richie sounded like he tried to laugh, but it clearly upset his tummy even more, so he just groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. “Ow,” He complained, curling even more in on himself. 

“Drink some water, baby.” Eddie grabbed the glass of water from Richie’s nightstand and held it out to him. “C’mon, it’ll probably help.” Richie moaned softly, scrunching up his face, but he allowed Eddie to tip his head up so he could drink a few small sips. “Good boy.” Eddie praised him, setting the water back down and scratching through Richie’s hair. “Do you want me to go?” 

“No, stay.” Richie blindly reached out for Eddie, grabbing him by the fabric of his t-shirt and pulling him forward. “Stay with me, Eds.” 

“Ok, alright.” Eddie batted Richie’s hands away gently so he could slide up next to him, leaning back against the headboard and pulling Richie’s head into his lap. 

Richie sighed softly, pressing his face into Eddie’s thigh and leaving little kisses all over the top of his leg. “Love you, Spaghetti.” He mumbled. 

“I love you too, you giant baby.” Eddie smiled fondly down at him, gently raking his hand through Richie’s hair to soothe him to sleep. Richie’s breathing steadied out after a few minutes, clearly having drifted off, and only then did Eddie whisper, “I fucking told you so,” into their darkened bedroom. 


	20. Playing in a Fountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie and Richie prepare for their wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

It had rained the day of Richie and Eddie’s wedding. Just fucking chucking it down, buckets worth of rain pelting the sidewalk.

“No, no, fucking no!” Eddie groaned, resting his forehead against the glass pane of their motel room window.

“Maybe it’ll clear up.” Richie said from his place on the bed.

“It wasn’t supposed to rain today, Rich! The fucking forecast called for clear skies all weekend! Look at this bullshit!” He gestured angrily to the thick black clouds covering the early afternoon sky.

Richie had asked Eddie to marry him during their final year of college, after having been together for over ten years at that point, and Eddie had planned this beautiful outdoor wedding on the fucking docks in Bar Harbor, the place where they’d shared their first kiss, and all of their friends and family had come to Maine to celebrate with them, so just _no_. No, it couldn’t be raining. It just couldn’t.

Frustrated and more than a little annoyed, Eddie pressed the heels of his hands hard into his eye sockets to try and stop the angry tears from falling.

“Hey, baby, don’t—” Richie tried, crossing the room and draping his arm over Eddie’s shaking shoulders.

“It’s fucking ruined, Rich!” Eddie sobbed.

“No, sweetheart, we can fix this.” Richie shushed him gently. “Eds, look at me.” Eddie sniffled and shook his head against Richie’s chest, smearing his bright white undershirt with tears. “Look at me.” Richie repeated, hooking his fingers under Eddie’s chin and tilting his face up so they were looking at each other. “Hey, hey, there he is.” Richie bopped the end of Eddie’s nose with his thumb before using it to wipe away the tears from his flushed cheeks. “Don’t cry, Eds. It’ll be ok.”

“How?” Eddie shook his head again. “It’s pouring, Rich, the whole ceremony is supposed to be outside.”

“So, we’ll move it inside. Easy.”

“Where? It’s not like there’s any buildings on the docks.”

“What about that little gazebo?” Richie suggested. “It’s got a cover.”

“Not everyone will fit.”

“We don’t need everyone to fit. You, me, the officiant, the Losers, there’s more than enough room for us in there. We’ll see everyone else at the reception at Hannigan’s.”

Eddie considered this for a minute. “My mother will throw a fit,” He said softly.

“Fuck Sonia.” Richie rolled his eyes. “This is your day, baby.” Eddie chewed his lip thoughtfully. “Look, Eds, we can do whatever you want. I was just trying to help.”

Eddie looked up into Richie’s eyes. He looked so genuine, staring down at him, wearing half of his wedding tux, his hair pushed back from his face with a few flyaway curls around his temples. “I love you.” Eddie told him softly.

“I love you more,” Richie said instantly. “Can I show you something?”

“Is it your dick?”

Richie laughed, squeezing Eddie’s shoulders softly. “For your information, I’m saving myself for marriage.”

Eddie raised his eyebrows. “Someone might want to tell you libido that.”

“Can I show you something that isn’t my cock?” When Eddie hesitated, Richie kissed his forehead softly. “It’s good, I promise.”

“Alright, fine.” Eddie sighed, snickering softly when Richie pumped his fist in the air. “But make it quick, Rich, I’ve gotta call everyone and tell them about the change of plans.”

“Quick like a bunny, I promise.” Richie assured him, grabbing Eddie by the wrist and leading him out the door of their motel room.

“Rich, your tux, the rain!” Eddie scolded, attempting to use his hand to shield his hair from the rain, pretty fucking unsuccessfully.

“This’ll only take a minute, baby.” Richie said, glancing over his shoulder to grin and wink at Eddie as they crossed the parking lot of the motel, walking past the little office that the front desk was in, and leading Eddie to the decorative fountain in the front of the motel. “See?”

“The fountain?” Eddie frowned at it.

“Yeah,” Richie nodded, rain pelting his shoulders, soaking his white t-shirt and exposing the dark lines of his chest hair against the wet fabric.

Eddie looked back at the fountain. It honestly didn’t look like anything all that special. It was just a standard fountain, with a round stone pool and a pillar in the center, with a large stone fish spitting water straight up in the air, curving in an elegant arch and pouring back down into the pool. The bottom was covered in loose change; quarters, pennies, nickels, the odd paper dollar, Eddie even saw a few Canadian loonies, and even more foreign coins. “Richie, I don’t—” Eddie gasped out sharply as Richie pushed him forward with a firm hand on his shoulder, sending him tumbling forward into the freezing fountain water. “Richie, Jesus fuck!” Eddie sputtered as he came up for air, scowling as Richie laughed from his place on the edge of the fountain. “What is _wrong_ with you, this water is probably _filthy_ ! I probably have, like, fucking, _hepatitis_ or some fucking shit!”

“I’m sure you don’t,” Richie replied, kicking off his dress shoes before jumping in after Eddie, swimming up to him in the shallow water and wrapping him up in a tight hug, pressing kisses all along his cheek and jaw.

“Richie, this water is freezing and fucking filthy!” Eddie pushed him away, knitting his eyebrows together as the rainwater splashed off the water’s surface and back up into his face. “Why would you push me in here?”

Richie shrugged, settling onto his back and floating gently through the water. “Well, I was planning on doing it when we came back tonight—”

“ _Why_?!”

“Because it’s funny to see you get all flustered,” He grinned and Eddie flicked him between the eyes. “But, since we were gonna get all wet in the rain anyway, I figured now was as good a time as any for a little impromptu swimming.” He blinked one eye open at Eddie and continued to grin. “Feel better?”

“Not even a little bit, thanks.” Eddie pushed his slick hair back from his face.

“I know you’re stressed, my love.” Richie said sympathetically, paddling over to where Eddie was sat in the coin-filled water. “I just wanted to help you relax a little.”

“By shoving me into a scum-infested fountain?” Eddie asked.

“I’m sure it’s clean.” Richie reached out and brushed his fingertips over Eddie’s cheek. “I love you. And I’m sorry this weekend isn’t going the way you wanted it to.” As if to emphasize Richie’s point, a loud crack of thunder rolled through the sky.

“Jesus,” Eddie mumbled, hair standing on end as goosebumps rose on his skin. “Let’s get out of here before we get electrocuted and die.” He grabbed Richie’s hand and began wading towards the edge of the fountain. “I love you too.” He said as he and Richie stepped out onto the gravel of the parking lot.

Richie beamed at him. “Sorry the weather is less than ideal, Eds.”

Eddie sighed, lacing their fingers together as they walked back towards their room, fountain water and rain water dripping from their clothes. “As long as we get to leave here married this weekend, we could be in the middle of a fucking hurricane and it wouldn’t matter.” He brought Richie’s hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.

Richie smiled again, stooping to kiss Eddie’s cheek. “I love you.”

Eddie smiled right back, watching as Richie unlocked the door to their room. “I love you too.”


	21. Yoga Class

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie tags along with Eddie to yoga class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw

“I think I broke my hip, Eds.” Richie complained, twisting his torso around in an attempt to crack his hip joint.

“I told you my yoga class isn’t for beginners, Rich.” Eddie took the yoga mat from Richie’s arms and chucked it in the trunk of their car, along with his own mat. “You should start with an intro to yoga class instead. It’d be easier on you.” Eddie rubbed Richie’s hip softly while he popped his shoulders. “How’s your back?”

“Ugh,” Richie bent far backwards, shaking his head. “I hate being old.” He wrapped his arms around Eddie and pecked his lips lightly. “I wish you’d known me when I was twenty. I was a fuckin’ riot, Eds, I could go for fucking days, man.”

“It was probably all of the cocaine you did.”

“Oh my god, you always bring that up!” Richie scoffed. “I did coke, like, _twice_!” He thought for a second. “Or maybe, like, six times. Who remembers?” He shrugged. “It’s not my fault you’re boring, babycakes.”

“I’m _responsible_.” Eddie frowned up at him. “And just because I never did cocaine doesn’t mean I didn’t have fun when I was younger.”

“Mm, I bet.” Richie nodded, pressing his face down into Eddie’s hair. “Love you.”

“I love you too,” Eddie kissed Richie’s chest softly. “C’mon, let’s go home. I think I know a way to help you out with your hip pain.”

Richie raised his eyebrows, grinning down at Eddie. “Well well well, my little Spaghetti-O, whatever could you mean?”

“Oh, you’ll see.” Eddie pulled away, stepping around Richie to climb into the passenger seat of the car, twisting around and slapping his ass quickly before popping the car door open and getting inside.

***

Richie was on Eddie the second they got home, pushing him up against the front door and kissing him hard, palming him through the thin material of his yoga pants, but Eddie pushed him away with a firm hand on his shoulder. “Let me take care of you.” Eddie said softly, pecking Richie’s lips in a light kiss.

“What did you have in mind?” Richie wondered, slipping his hands into the waistband of Eddie’s pants and pulling them closer together, nipping at the skin beneath his ear.

“Just trust me, Rich.” Eddie gave him another soft kiss on the mouth before patting his thigh softly. “Go upstairs and get on the bed. Take your clothes off.”

“Aye aye, captain.” Richie said with a grin, firing off a quick salute before turning on his heel and jogging up the stairs to their bedroom.

Eddie took his second alone downstairs to put away their yoga mats and give himself a quick shower in the downstairs bathroom just to wash off the sweat from class. He knew it was kind of pointless, as he was just going to get all sweaty again fooling around with Richie, but it made him feel better to get the gym germs off of him first.

Once he was done with his shower, he collected up his gym clothes and tossed them in the hamper in the laundry room before heading upstairs to his and Richie’s bedroom.

He’d only been away for about five minutes, but Richie had clearly grown impatient waiting for him, as he was now laid out in the center of their bed, completely naked, with his left arm thrown up over his face, slowly stroking his already hard cock with his right hand.

He lowered his arm when he heard Eddie come in, smiling at him in the dim light of the bedroom. “You got started without me, I see.” Eddie commented, shutting the door softly behind himself.

“You took too long,” Richie shrugged. “Drop that towel, Eds, I want to get a good look at you.” He gestured broadly with his free hand, lightly thumbing over the head of his dick with the other one.

Eddie rolled his eyes, but did what Richie asked anyway, unwrapping the towel from around his waist and draping it over the closed door handle. “How’s your back, Rich?” Eddie approached the bed slowly, watching Richie with hungry eyes the whole time.

Richie shrugged again. “It’s alright. I think laying on the floor at the yoga studio fucked it up a little, though.” He flexed his shoulders on the bed, stretching out his back muscles slowly, and it made Eddie’s mouth water just looking at him.

“Roll over,” Eddie patted Richie’s knee lightly. “Onto your tummy for me.”

Richie’s face broke open into a grin that could only be described as shit-eating, looking Eddie up and down quickly before obliging, slowly turning over and settling onto his belly. He winced sharply as he moved, Eddie noticed, and he figured that he’d probably pulled a muscle somewhere during yoga.

When Eddie climbed up onto the bed, Richie whimpered softly, cradling his head between his forearms. “Eds,” He whispered.

“Shh, be good.” Eddie murmured, running his index finger in a straight line up Richie’s back, tracing over the knobs of his spine.

Richie shivered at the feeling. “God,” He said softly.

“Is it ok if I give you a massage?” Eddie asked, positioning himself over Richie’s backside so he had a good view of his entire bare back.

“Are you serious?” Richie mumbled. “Of course.”

“Hang on,” Eddie patted Richie’s shoulder blade lightly, leaning over to dig through his bedside table and coming back with their bottle of lube and a small bottle of massage oil— a gift from Stan and Patty for Hanukkah the year before. “I love you,” Eddie said in a soft voice, bending forward to kiss the back of Richie’s head, nose pressing into his curls.

“I love you too,” Richie replied, propping his cheek up on his forearm so he could smile at Eddie.

“Be good,” Eddie said again, pouring some of the massage oil onto his hands, gingerly setting the bottle on the mattress next to his right knee before laying his palms over Richie’s shoulders and dragging the heels of his hands down the planes of Richie’s back.

Richie moaned softly as Eddie worked over him, kneading his soft flesh gently, working out knot after knot over the expanse of his bare skin, stopping every so often to leave kisses in the wake of his oiled up hands, and digging his fingers roughly into the meat of Richie’s sides and ass. Richie was clearly enjoying himself, breathing evenly and humming as Eddie continued his movements, face tipped to the side and blushed pink, a small smile teasing at his lips.

Eddie made sure to massage all of the muscles of Richie’s hips and his lower back, as that’s where he knew most of his pain was, and he could feel some really tough knots there as he pored over him.

Despite having a relatively hairy torso, Richie didn’t really have that much hair on his back, which meant Eddie’s hands glided easily over his skin, the fancy massage oil absorbing in after a while, leaving both of them smelling like lavender and smooth to the touch.

Eddie was hard and had been for most of the time he’d been massaging Richie, and while he hadn’t been actively grinding on Richie while he worked over him, he knew Richie could feel his erection, because he kept pushing back every time Eddie’s cock brushed against his lower back, or his ass, or the backs of his thighs.

“Are you going to fuck me?” Richie asked softly, eyes still closed, as Eddie’s fingers danced over the knobs of his spine.

“Is that what you want?” Eddie studied Richie’s face, reaching up and tucking a curl behind his ear.

“Yes,” Richie nodded. “Please.”

“I’ll take care of you.” Eddie assured him, wiping his hands on his own thighs to rid himself of any excess oil before grabbing the lube and popping it open.

Richie sighed, visibly relaxing at the sound of Eddie opening the lube, but scrunching up his face when he heard Eddie snap it shut just as fast. “Eds, what’s—? _Oh_.” Whatever he was going to say was lost in a sharp gasp when Eddie spread his cheeks open and licked a broad stripe directly over his hole with the flat of his tongue. “Fuck,” He whispered.

“Mm,” Eddie agreed, squeezing Richie’s cheeks in his hands softly as he licked into him again and again, swirling his tongue over the rim before pushing it inside, working him open gently.

Richie kept making soft little whining sounds as Eddie ate him out, holding him open with one hand while uncapping the lube with the other. He had to pull away for a second to lube up his hand, but Richie didn’t even have time to complain before Eddie was pressing two fingers into him, kissing a line up his back. “Oh,” Richie sighed again. “Eds.”

“Good?” Eddie didn’t waste any time beginning to scissor his fingers apart, trying to open Richie up quickly before he got impatient.

“Yeah, right there.” Richie confirmed, still looking so calm and relaxed from his massage, just letting Eddie set the pace as he fingered him.

“You’re doing so good, Rich, being so good for me.” Eddie dug the heel of his hand into Richie’s lower back, working over where he’d rubbed out a particularly hard knot earlier. “Good boy,”

Richie whined at the praise, sniffling softly, and Eddie could tell he was about to start crying, so he added another finger to try and distract him. “Eddie,” He whispered.

“Good boy,” Eddie repeated.

“Tell me,”

“You’re being so fucking good, baby.” Eddie assured him, petting over the back of his head, scratching through his curls as he actually began crying. He knew Richie liked to be praised, as he often felt like he wasn’t good enough, and the shit he got from hecklers at shows and trolls on the internet certainly didn’t help, so Eddie was always sure to tell Richie how much he loved him and how proud of him he was. “My good boy.”

“I’m ready, Eds, please.” Richie wiped some of his tears away with his wrist.

“Alright, I’ve got you.” Eddie told him again, pulling his fingers out so he could slick up his cock, quickly pressing inside so Richie wasn’t empty for too long. “Feel good?” He gently tangled his fingers up in the curls at the base of Richie’s skull, thumb stroking over the top knob of his spine as he bottomed out.

“Yes, please.” Richie pulled one of his hands out from under his chin and blindly reached back, feeling for where Eddie was gripping his hip. “Please, Eddie.”

“Shh,” Eddie slowly pulled out to push back in, lacing their fingers together as he worked up a slow rhythm of fucking into Richie, searching for his prostate. “My good boy.”

“Oh— _ah_ , Eddie.” Richie squeezed Eddie’s hand, letting him know that he’d found his sweet spot.

“You’re so good, honey, I love you so much.” Eddie told him, drilling into his prostate on each thrust, heart clenching at the little hiccuping sobs that Richie was letting out as he cried, clearly overwhelmed. “You’re amazing, Richie, you’re doing so fucking well, sweetheart, it’s incredible. You were so good for me when I was massaging you.” Richie made a noise of affirmation, nodding minutely and squeezing Eddie’s hand in his again. “Is it too much, Rich, do you need me to stop?” Eddie asked, starting to slow down.

“ _No_ ,” Richie gasped out. “Please, Eds, I’m so close, _keep_ — fucking, _keep going_.”

“Are you gonna cum for me, my sweet boy? Hm?” Eddie was getting close too, heat building at the base of his spine.

“Yes, yes, keep going, Eds, cum in me, please, fill me up, Eddie, I want it inside—” Richie was rambling, crying desperately and gripping tightly at Eddie’s hand. He whispered out one more broken, “please,” and it set Eddie off, hips twitching to a stop as he came inside of Richie, holding them flush together as Richie finished onto the bedsheets.

Eddie left kisses all over Richie’s bare back as they came down, rubbing a soothing circle onto his hip while he waited for him to stop crying. Richie eventually was able to pull it together, giving Eddie the all-clear to go ahead and pull out, and even stripping the ruined sheets off the bed while Eddie wiped them both down with a wet wash cloth, both of them occasionally turning to sneak kisses from one another while they worked.

Once the bed was redressed and they were both clean, Eddie settled back against the headboard and pulled Richie into his side, stroking his shoulder gently while Richie tugged softly on his happy trail. “Thank you for taking care of me, Spaghetti.” Richie said after a minute, smoothing his flat palm over Eddie’s body hair that he’d roughed up.

“It was my pleasure, sweetheart.” Eddie turned and pressed a long kiss to Richie’s forehead. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Richie sighed happily, kissing Eddie’s ribs a few times before dropping his head to lay on his chest. “I think going to yoga with you was the best decision I ever made.”


	22. Summer Solstice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie and Eddie spend the longest day of the year with their family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

Eddie had always loved the summer solstice.

He loved summer, period; but the solstice had always been his favorite, ever since he was a little boy.

Boasting an impressive 15 hours of sunlight, it was the longest day of the year, and Eddie always planned a day packed full of activities for his friends to do on the day, clumped together from when the sunrise broke the horizon at 5 in the morning, to when it lazily dipped below the skyline at 9 pm.

The last solstice they’d all spent together had been the summer after they graduated from high school. They’d all slept over at Bill’s house, snuggled up together in a big pile in the basement, and had woken up bright and early at Eddie’s insistence, starting the day off with a round of coffees, gathered on the back porch to watch the sun come up.

It had been one of Eddie’s favorite days for the few months that he actually remembered it before leaving Derry, because they’d all been so happy and carefree, leaping off the cliff at the quarry, swimming in the murky water below, climbing around in the barrens and watching Stan nearly cream his pants over the _two_ rare birds they saw in the woods that day, enjoying a picnic as far away from the Paul Bunyan statue as they could get, and all piling into Ben’s truck to drive to Castle Rock for the annual Solstice Day Carnival.

They all ate funnel cakes and greasy burgers, slammed into each other in the bumper cars, and watched the fireworks from the top of the ferris wheel, just like they’d done for years before. At the end of the night, they climbed into Ben’s truck and headed home, and Richie fell asleep on Eddie’s shoulder, snoring softly as Eddie watched the stars roll past.

***

“C’mon, Rich, up.” Eddie kneeled down next to the bed, shaking Richie lightly. “Baby, it’s almost 5, you’ve gotta get up.”

Richie scrunched up his face, squinting one of his eyes open. “Eds, the kids aren’t even gonna remember—”

“But we will.” Eddie patted his shoulder. “Rich, please.” He frowned at him. “Please, Rich.”

Richie studied him tiredly, exhaling deeply before nodding his head and pushing himself up. “Alright.” He rubbed his hands over his face. “Go get them,” He gestured in the direction of the door.

Eddie pressed a quick kiss to Richie’s cheek. “Love you,” He whispered, turning on his heel and power walking to the nursery.

It was the first solstice that Richie and Eddie would be spending together as parents. They’d had two more before this one to just spend the day together, but 8 months ago they’d adopted Lexi and Maximus, a pair 3 year-old-twins whose birth parents had died in a car accident, and Eddie was determined to make their first solstice together as a family memorable.

Lexi was sleeping when Eddie opened the door, but Maximus was awake, sitting up in his crib and chewing on his teddy bear. “Hi, Daddy.” He said, carefully pushing himself up and leaning on the edge of his crib.

“Hey, Squid.” Eddie patted the top of his head. “Ready for a big day?”

“Yes,” Maximus released his grip on the crib to reach up towards Eddie, tightly fisting his chubby little fingers.

“Let’s wake up your sister, hm?”

“Lexi is sleeping.” Maximus observed as Eddie picked him up.

“Yes, she is.” Eddie agreed, stopping to flick on the overhead light before leaning over Lexi’s crib. “Time to wake up, Newt.” Eddie patted Lexi’s back softly.

“Up, Newt.” Maximus repeated. “Up up.”

“Up up,” Eddie patted her back again, smiling when she stirred. “C’mon, honey, we’ve got a big day ahead of us.”

Lexi yawned and rubbed her little eyes, kicking out her legs to stretch them. “Daddy,” She looked up at him, one of her green eyes still closed.

“Time to get up, buttercup.” Eddie told her. “The sun waits for no one.”

***

Once Richie was all set himself, he helped Eddie get the kids dressed and ready for their day, jam packed with family activities that were sure to keep the twins’ attention.

They started the day on the back porch of their LA home, watching the sun come up over their own little stretch of beach.

Richie smiled and whispered to Lexi while he held her, bouncing her on his knee and pointing at different things down on the beach.

After the sunrise they ate breakfast before loading the kids into the car and setting off for the day.

They started with a hike through Griffith Park, one kid strapped to each of their chests as they walked through the woods, hands clasped together between them. Maximus and Lexi babbled happily as they walked along, pointing at every squirrel and blue jay that crossed their path.

After their hike, they went to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, letting the kids sprint from exhibit to exhibit, waving to the sharks and squealing with delight when Richie picked them up and let them touch the baby manta rays in the little touch pool.

The kids were pretty much wiped out by the time they made it to the LA Zoo, so Richie and Eddie pushed them in their little strollers and let them nap for a bit while they looked at the exhibits, laughing and talking and reapplying sunscreen every so often.

They finished out the day by going to the Santa Monica pier and riding some of the littler rides, eating the greasy fair food, and Eddie held both of the kids in his arms while Richie tried his hand at every game on the pier; piling up stuffed bears and dogs and turtles for the kids to inevitably destroy.

After the long day, they piled back into the car and drove home, and Richie helped Eddie feed and bathe the kids before lowering them back into their cribs for the night.

Back in their own bed, they called the Losers and spoke to them briefly about how they’d spent the day with their families. They hung up the phone just after 10, whispering “I love you,” to each other in the darkness, before Eddie fell fast asleep with a smile on his face.


	23. Doctors Appointment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie and Eddie tag along to their surrogate's first ultrasound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

Richie had been nervously drumming his fingers on the steering wheel of the car for the past 20 minutes; staring straight ahead while he drove with his jaw clenched tightly. “Rich, you’re gonna crack your teeth.” Eddie teased lightly, reaching over to stroke over Richie’s clenched jaw.

“Hm?” Richie glanced over at him, blinking hard and shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Eds.” He laughed anxiously. “I’m just a little nervous. I mean, what if something’s wrong?”

“There’s nothing we can do if there is.” Eddie reminded him, patting his thigh gently.

“I know,” Richie said softly. “But I’m still worried.” He looked over at Eddie again, eyebrows pulled together. “How are you so calm? It’s very unlike you to be so chill about this.”

Eddie shrugged, watching the palm trees that lined the Pacific Coast Highway drift past through his window. “I figured you had the ‘freaking out’ part of things taken care of.” He smiled over at Richie. “Thought I’d take the backseat role of hypochondriac for this one.”

Richie blew all of the air out of his lungs in a sharp exhale. “We’re here,” He observed, nodding at the medical building and merging into the turn lane. “Can you text Nellie, please?”

“Already done,” Eddie waved Richie off, shooting a quick, ‘We’re here,’ to Nellie before pocketing his phone again.

***

Nellie was already sitting in the waiting room, bouncing her legs and playing on her phone, when Richie and Eddie walked up. Richie was practically vibrating with anxiety, hand sweaty where it was linked with Eddie’s as they approached their surrogate.

She saw them first, setting her phone on the chair next to her and rising from her seat. “Hi,” She allowed Richie to pull her into a quick hug before turning and shaking Eddie’s hand.

“Hi again,” Eddie smiled at her, nudging Richie.

“How’s the baby?” Richie asked, pushing his glasses back up.

“Well, I haven’t gone in yet.” Nellie laughed awkwardly. “But, my OBGYN says that I’m perfectly healthy. I’ve been taking my prenatal vitamins and doing yoga and not standing near the microwave.”

“That’s great.” Eddie told her.

“Nellie Porterman?” A nurse wearing kitten-print scrubs stepped into the waiting room, holding a clipboard.

“That’s me,” Nellie told her, bending down to pick up her bag.

“I’ve got it,” Richie assured her, gingerly taking the purse from her hands and slinging it over his shoulder.

“Thank you, Mr. Tozier.” She smiled at him.

“Just Richie is fine,” He said.

“Right, I knew that.” Nellie laughed shortly again. She was clearly just as anxious as they were.

“You all can come with me,” The nurse said, stepping aside to allow all three of them to step into the hall. “You’ll be right over here, exam room three.” She pointed to an open door. “Just head right on in and the nurse will be right with you.”

“Thank you,” All three of them said as she walked away.

***

The new nurse, a tall asian man, came in almost immediately and started looking Nellie over; getting her height and weight, checking her blood pressure, asking her general questions like if she was a smoker, (to which she said no) if she had been drinking at all, (another no) and if she used any recreational drugs (for a third and final no).

“That’s great,” The nurse told her, offering all of them a small smile. “The ultrasound technician will be right in.” He said, slipping out the door and closing it behind himself.

Nellie hopped up on the little exam bed and swung her legs back and forth, exhaling heavily. “Are you guys nervous?” She asked. “About being parents?”

Richie nodded quickly. “Yeah, I uh—” He cleared his throat. “I never thought I’d be any good at it, really. But, now I’ve got Eds to help me out.” He squeezed Eddie’s hand in his. “Hopefully we won’t fuck it up too bad.”

“I’m sure you guys will be great.” Nellie ran her hands over her knees. “You know, I’ve met with a lot of perspective families for stuff like this, and you two were by far the happiest couple.” She shrugged, laying her hand on her little belly. “Most couples are so short with me. They just want to pay me and get this out of the way. You two actually care about me and how I’m doing. It means a lot.”

“Well, you’re not just an incubator.” Richie said with a frown. “You’re a person, Nellie, and you’re doing something amazing for us. It means a lot.” Richie’s voice was thick, so Eddie squeezed his hand tightly.

“I’m happy to help.” Nellie smiled at them again as the ultrasound technician walked in.

“Alright.” She set her little clipboard down on the counter and clapped her hands together. “You all ready to see your baby?”

***

Richie burst into tears the second the little blob appeared on the screen. It didn’t really look like a baby, like, _at all_. It looked like a little lima bean with two sticks poking out of it, but the technician pointed out that those were the legs and feet, and the more Eddie looked at it he could kinda see it.

“It’s too early to tell the sex,” The technician reminded them. “You’re only about 10 weeks.”

Nellie nodded, eyes locked on the little screen as the technician moved the little wand over her lower belly.

“I think it looks like you, Rich.” Eddie clapped Richie’s shoulder lightly, and Richie let out another sob and wiped at his eyes.

“Doesn’t it?” He asked with a watery smile.

“I can practically see the glasses on it already.”

“God, I hope not.” Richie groaned, wiping at his eyes again. “Went and Maggie spent a fuckin’ fortune on specs when I was a kid.” He sniffled and squeezed Eddie’s hand. “But with our luck, that would be what I pass on to it.”

Eddie laughed and laid his head on Richie’s shoulder, watching the little blob on the screen. It was hard to believe that Richie had helped make that, even if all he did was jizz in a little cup. Eddie was sterile, he’d learned that after many _many_ years spent trying for kids with Myra, but luckily for them, Richie’s sperm were perky and fast, and after they got an egg donor and found a surrogate, Nellie got pregnant on the first go around, and now here they were, watching their baby float around in Nellie’s tummy.

Richie sobbed again, shaking his head and wiping his eyes. “I love it so much already. Look at it, it’s like a little sea monkey and I’d already kill to protect it.”

The technician and Nellie both laughed, and Eddie leaned over to press a soft kiss to Richie’s tear-stained cheek. “You’re going to be an amazing father.” He said softly, once again laying his head on Richie’s shoulder.

Richie turned his head and kissed Eddie temple, leaving his lips on his skin for a while before whispering back, “So will you.”


	24. Piña Colada

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newly divorced Eddie meets Richie at a bar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

Eddie had been single for all of 20 minutes when he met Richie.

Well, he and Myra had been separated for almost six months at that point, but the divorce had only been finalized a mere half hour before, with him scribbling the old _Edward F. Kaspbrak_ on the little dotted line, separating he and his wife forever. He’d tried to be civil, going to shake her hand when they left, but she’d turned her nose up at him and stormed out of the lawyers office. So much for being adults about things.

Although, he supposed he couldn’t really blame her. If he put himself in her shoes, and if she’d come to him after 10 years of marriage and announced that she was a lesbian and was leaving him, he’d probably have been pretty upset too. He’d hoped against hope that she’d just be happy for him for figuring himself out after 30 years of repression and self-hatred, but no. She’d demanded half of his shit and dragged him to court for months before everything was all settled.

So now he sat, a bachelor once more (if you can even be a bachelor when you’re a divorcee), on a cracked leather barstool in some dive called Mickey’s, cradling a Manhattan between his hands.

“You look like you could use a friend,” Someone said to his right. When Eddie turned his head, he was met with a grinning man sitting two barstools down. “Let me buy you a drink.”

“I have a drink,” Eddie replied, looking into his mostly-drunk glass. “But I suppose I could go for a re-up.”

“Thanks the spirit,” The guy hopped off his stool and slid onto the one directly next to Eddie, clapping him on the shoulder. “What’ll you have?”

Eddie looked the guy over. He seemed to be around Eddie’s age, maybe a little older, with shaggy, dark hair that curled around his face. He was wearing a large pair of Buddy Holly glasses that magnified his already wide brown eyes, and had more than a few days worth of stubble on his chin and cheeks. He was wearing dark wash jeans and big black boots, and the ugliest fucking button-down Eddie had ever seen in his life. It was bright yellow and covered with little palm trees and pink flamingos. He hated it with a burning passion. “Just— whatever you’re having.” He downed the last of his Manhattan and pushed the empty glass back to the bartender as she came back over.

“Two Piña Colada’s.” The guy told her, still smiling. “A double for my friend here.” He slung his arm over Eddie’s shoulder, tugging him into an easy side-hug.

Eddie snorted. “We’re not on a tropical vacation.” He watched as the lady began pouring various liquids into the blender.

“A guy can dream, can’t he?” The guy winked at him, giving Eddie a once-over before extending his hand. “Richie Tozier.”

Eddie blinked once as he shook his hand. That name sounded oddly familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. “Eddie Kaspbrak.”

“Here’s to you, Mr. Kaspbrak.” Richie grabbed their drinks from the bartender and handed one over, clinking the glasses together. “And here’s to hoping I can put a smile on that pretty face.” He winked again before taking a long swig of his frozen drink, tipping his head back and swallowing hard.

Eddie didn’t mean to stare, really, but he was sort of mesmerized by Richie. He’d never been so blatantly hit on before, not even when he was young and went out semi-regularly. He wasn’t used to people being so nice to him, as his mother did nothing but berate him over anything and everything his entire life, and he couldn’t even remember the last nice thing Myra had said to him, and they’d been together for almost 12 years.

“What brings you to a place like this, Eds?” Richie asked, setting his glass back on the bar and pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“Uhm,” Eddie tried not to stare at Richie’s hands while he fiddled with a coaster on the edge of the bar. He had beautiful hands, with long fingers and neatly trimmed, well groomed nails. Eddie wondered briefly what it would be like to suck on Richie’s fingers, pull them into his mouth and roll his tongue over them, holding eye contact with this mysterious and handsome stranger at the bar. He pushed that thought away when he remembered that Richie had asked him a question and that he should probably answer it. “I just got divorced.” He said finally. “Today, actually.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Richie laid his hand on Eddie’s shoulder, a nice, sympathetic gesture, but all it did was make Eddie’s ears heat up.

“No, it’s ok.” Eddie told him, trying to resist the urge to frown when Richie pulled his hand away. “It was for the best. For both of us. We’re better off.”

“Mazel tov, then.” Richie clinked his glass against Eddie’s again, giving him another pat on the shoulder. “May you and he live happy lives as separate people.”

“ _She_ , actually.” Eddie corrected, sighing. “But that was part of the problem.”

“I could imagine it might be.” Richie replied.

Eddie dropped his elbow onto the bar and rested his chin in his palm, gazing over at his new friend. “Are you married, Mr. Tozier?”

“Richie is fine,” Richie waved away his formality. “And no, I’m not.” He raised his left hand and wiggled his ring-free finger.

Eddie glanced down at his hand, frowning at the fact that he was still wearing his wedding ring. “Jesus,” He muttered, watching the plain gold band catch the dim light of the bar. He hadn’t even thought about taking it off.

“You probably won’t be needing that.” Richie commented, nodding towards his ring. “Unless, of course, you’re trying to deter creeps in bars.”

“It clearly doesn’t work.” Eddie turned back to Richie and smiled at him. “You came over to talk to me anyway.”

Richie smiled back and shrugged, downing the last of his Piña Colada and waving the bartender over for a refill. “You were just too cute.” He said with a wink. “I couldn’t just leave you all on your lonesome.”

***

Eddie actually liked Richie quite a bit. He was funny and nice and he kept buying Eddie drinks, so they sat and talked for a while, about nothing and everything all at once, and before Eddie knew it, it was last call, and Richie pulled his wallet out to close up their tab.

“Where are you staying?” Eddie asked as Richie handed the bartender his card. Richie had mentioned that he was in town on business, but hadn’t divulged what business he was in or how long he’d be around for.

“Down the street,” Richie gestured vaguely in the direction of the bar door as he signed his name on the bill. “The hotel’s called, fuckin’, Loft or some shit.” He rubbed his eyes with his hands. “I’m drunk.” He announced, tucking his card back in his wallet and sliding it back into his pocket.

“I can see that.” Eddie laughed, steadying Richie by his shoulder as he stood from his stool. Eddie was pretty tipsy himself, but not nearly as far gone as Richie. “Let me help you get home safe, Rich.”

“My my, Mr. Kasp—” He stopped to hiccup as Eddie led him out the door and onto the street. “—Kaspbrak. Are you trying to sneak your way into my hotel room?”

“Hardly,” Eddie laughed, though he did like the idea of spending the night with his handsome new friend, he certainly didn’t want to take advantage of Richie while he was drunk. “I just don’t need it on my conscience that I let a drunk man stumble around on the streets of New York alone at 1 in the morning.”

“Mm,” Richie didn’t really seem to be listening, leaning heavily on Eddie, stooping down so he could nuzzle against his collarbone as they walked. “You’re handsome.” He said. “I like you.”

“I like you too.” Eddie smiled like an idiot, telling himself that Richie was just drunk, he didn’t really mean it.

“I’d invite you to stay the night, but I’m sure you’d say no.” Richie commented as Eddie pulled the lobby door of the hotel open.

“Not this time.” Eddie told him reluctantly. He’d love to stay with Richie, but he super wasn’t keen on abusing he hospitality of overly-affectionate drunk strangers. “But, here.” He dug his business card out of his wallet and tucked it into the breast pocket of Richie’s horrendously ugly shirt. “Call me if you’re ever in town and not falling down drunk.”

Richie gathered Eddie’s face in his hands and looked at him. “This I swear to you, Eddie Spaghetti, when I get over my drunkenness and inevitable hangover, I _will_ be giving you a call.” He kissed Eddie loudly on the cheek before backing into the elevator, snapping off a salute when the doors slid closed.

Eddie smiled to himself as he walked back out onto the street and hailed a cab back to his apartment.

He was shocked to say the least when the next morning he was bombarded with blurry snapshots of himself and Richie at the bar the night before, all attached to articles from various sources, with titles all along the lines of, “Comedian Richie Tozier spotted with mystery man-friend in New York City!”


	25. Lost Heirloom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie helps Eddie clean out his mother's old storage unit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

When Eddie’s mother died, he chose not to go to her home right away. He needed more time to grieve and to process, so he just paid a bunch of people to move all of Sonia’s belongings into storage, figuring he could take a little time and sort himself out and hopefully be ready in a few weeks to delve into his mother’s life.

That was five years ago.

And it wasn’t until he reunited with Richie and Richie asked him why he was paying so much money each month for a storage unit in Bangor that he decided to tackle the beast and sort through the boxes upon boxes of crap.

Luckily, he had Richie there with him.

***

“How many fucking muumuus can one person own?” Richie asked with a frown, opening yet another box stuffed to the brim with Sonia’s floral dresses. “Jesus Christ, Eds.”

“Just throw them all away, Richie.” Eddie waved his hand dismissively, tearing open a box filled with old photos.

“Whaddya got, baby?” Richie asked as Eddie pulled out a stack of pictures.

The one on top was a photo of Eddie when he was a toddler, held closely to his father’s chest, smiling with drool running down his chin and onto his little Winnie the Pooh bib. His father, Frank, was smiling also, one hand pressed to Eddie’s little tummy, the other resting on top of his head of curly hair. It made him sad to look at the picture. He didn’t remember his father at all, as he’d died when Eddie was 5, and his mother never liked to talk about him because it made her upset, so it was almost like looking at a photo of him and a complete stranger. No different from any other Tom, Dick, or Harry on the street. “It’s me and my dad.” Eddie said softly, passing the photo to Richie and moving back to flip through the rest of the stack.

“You look just like him.” Richie remarked, turning the photo over. “‘Eddie and Frank, May 1st, 1978.’” He read.

“I was one.” Eddie pulled out a photo of himself at his 14th birthday party. He was surrounded by the other Losers, sitting in his mother’s dining room with a sparkly green party hat strapped to the top of his head. The funniest part, was that Sonia had clearly cut Richie out of the photo. Eddie remembered that Richie had been sitting directly to his right, red party hat atop his curly hair, absolutely fucking _covered_ in blue icing from Eddie’s cake, and Sonia had sliced him clean off, leaving a gaping space in the picture between Eddie and Bill at the table. “Look at this, honey.” Eddie handed the picture over to Richie, watching as he studied it with a frown.

“I will never understand why your mother hated me so much,” He commented, flipping the picture over. “‘Eddie’s 14th birthday with his friends.’”

“She hated you because you were the only person that genuinely made me happy.” Eddie grabbed the photo back and dropped it back into the box. “We used to have so much fun.” Eddie sighed wistfully, thinking about all of the great times they had as kids; riding bikes with Bill and Stanley, fucking around in the barrens and the clubhouse, swimming in the quarry with everyone. “Evil space clown aside.”

“Mm,” Richie kneeled down on the floor next to Eddie, kissing his temple. “You ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Eddie exhaled through his nose, closing the box of pictures up. “There’s just so much shit.” He rubbed at his eyes with his hands, watering heavily from all of the dust. His lungs felt heavy, as if he needed a pull off his aspirator, which was fucking stupid, as he’d never even had asthma in the first place. Maybe it was from being around all of mother’s stuff.

“Babe?” Richie rubbed his shoulder softly.

“I’m fine, Rich.” Eddie coughed once into the dusty room before turning back and smiling lightly at Richie. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Richie pecked him on the lips. “Do you want to take a break?” He laid his hand on Eddie’s thigh.

“No, I want to get this done.” Eddie grabbed another box and pulled it towards them, popping it open. He was immediately met with belongings that he didn’t recognize. They certainly weren’t his mother’s; men’s pants and shirts folded neatly, packed together tightly with a few watches and neckties, along with a worn leather wallet. He flipped it open to reveal his father’s drivers license, as well as a few pictures stuffed into the billfold. One of Eddie as a baby, one of his mother and his father on their wedding day, and one of Sonia when she was in college. “My dad’s wallet.” He dropped it back into the box before sifting through the rest of the box. “Oh my god.” He whispered, pulling out a little ziploc bag.

“What’s that?” Richie asked, eyebrows pulled together.

“My dad’s wedding ring.” Eddie carefully opened the bag and dumped the ring into his palm. “I thought my mom lost this. It was supposed to be mine. She was supposed to give it to me when I got married, but she said she didn’t know where it was.”

“Do you think she was hiding it from you?” Richie wondered.

“Absolutely.” Eddie nodded, turning the small gold band over in his hands. “She always hated Myra.” Eddie scoffed and shook his head. “Can’t imagine why she did. It must have been like looking into a mirror.”

“Mirrors aren’t always very flattering.” Richie took the ring from Eddie’s hands and looked it over.

“No,” Eddie agreed with a heavy sigh. “I think maybe we should just throw all of this crap out, baby.” He mumbled, wiping his hands on his thighs. “I don’t really want to go through it, y’know?” He shrugged. “I’m not really feeling it.”

“Whatever you want to do, Eds, I’m with you.” Richie assured him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,”

Richie elbowed him in the ribs lightly until he turned to look at him. “Will you marry me?” He asked, holding his father’s wedding ring out.

Eddie snorted, laughing as his eyes flicked from Richie’s face, down to his hands, and back up to his face again. He wasn’t laughing. He was still just holding the ring out, looking at Eddie with wide eyes. “Are you being serious?” Eddie asked.

“Of course,”

“Seriously, Rich, you’re not just being an asshole?”

“Why would I joke around about this?” Richie looked mildly offended.

“Because you’re a dickhead.”

“I can’t believe you’re insulting me when I’m trying to propose to you.” Richie scoffed.

Eddie studied his face for a second. “You’re being for real? You really want to marry me?”

“Eddie, I’ve wanted to marry you since we were nine.” He shrugged, pushing his glasses back up. “I figured right now was the next best time, urgency-wise.”

Eddie huffed out a wet laugh, tears springing to his eyes as he looked at Richie, sitting on the floor of a storage unit, surrounded by 60 years of his mother’s belongings, proposing to him with a long-lost family heirloom. He nodded. “Yeah, Richie. Of course I’ll marry you.”

Richie smiled back. “Yeah?”

Eddie nodded again, allowing Richie to slide the ring on his finger. “Yeah.”


	26. Soaked by the Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie goes down to the clubhouse to get away from his mother and runs into Richie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

Eddie had come down to the clubhouse to get away from his mother.

She’d been up his ass for the past few days, all over fucking nothing, and he couldn’t take it anymore. So while she was on the phone with Mr. Keene down at the pharmacy, he’d slipped out the back door and biked all the way across town to the barrens, climbing down into the clubhouse and flopping into the hammock, hoping to have a second away from it all to just relax; sit back and read some comic books and maybe listen to the little portable radio Richie usually left there.

He’d gotten about 20 minutes of silence before Richie himself showed up, clambering down the ladder with a smile on his face. “Hey there, Spaghetti-Head!” He smiled, pushing his glasses up his nose. He had a split lip that he hadn’t had when Eddie saw him the day before, and Eddie wondered what happened.

“Hey, Rich.” Eddie nodded to him, pulling his legs closer to himself in the hammock.

“How’s life treating you?” Richie asked casually, lifting the hem of his t-shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “Hot as fuckin’ balls out, huh?”

“Yeah,” Eddie agreed. It had been ridiculously hot the past few weeks, peaking at 104 just the other day. It made everything in Derry hot and stuffy, especially since they hadn’t seen rain since the first week of June, and that had been a month and a half ago.

“Wanna go swim in the quarry?” Richie asked, shrugging out of his button-down and hanging it on a loose nail, now dressed only in his cargo shorts and blue t-shirt.

“Not really,” Eddie shook his head. He just didn’t really feel like it. He honestly just wanted to sit alone and read for a while, but he didn’t mind having Richie around. He was always good for a laugh, and Eddie had been feeling kinda shitty lately.

Richie swept his hair away from his face, stepping up to the hammock. “Shove over,” He nudged Eddie’s ankle with his hand.

“Rich, no.” Eddie shook his head. “It’s, like, a thousand degrees down here, go sit somewhere else.”

“Your ten minutes are up,”

“How would you know, you just got here.”

“I know everything, Eds.” Richie replied, gathering Eddie’s legs in his hands and moving them over so he could plop down in the hammock as well, despite Eddie’s _many_ protests. “What’s new in the wild world of Eddie Kaspbrak? Fucked any pretty ladies?” He grinned over at Eddie.

“Your mother and I had a wonderful date just the other night.” Eddie said, pretending to be super interested in his comic book, hiding his grin when Richie howled with laughter.

“Eddie Spaghetti gets off a good one!” He laughed, poking Eddie’s stomach lightly with his heel. “You’re a real fuckin’ riot, Eds, truly.” He tapped Eddie’s shin with his hand to get him to look up. “It’s great to have you around.”

“Thanks, Rich.” Eddie said quietly. Richie always made Eddie feel better. Richie was like pure fucking sunshine, bright on the inside and the outside, like the sun and all of the stars in the sky. He was so sunny, Eddie thought it should have hurt to look at him. It did make his stomach twist, but he tried his best to just ignore that. “What are you doing down here?”

Richie shrugged. “Figured I’d run into one of you. I was bored at home. Maggie is repainting the kitchen and Went is working hard on some fucking model.” Eddie nodded while Richie rolled his eyes and pantomimed blowing his brains out. Richie’s father, Wentworth, built tiny ships in bottles in his free time. He used to make Richie help him when he was little, but when Richie got older and started showing less and less interest in the activity, Wentworth continued building on his own while Richie went off and did his own thing. “What about you? Your mother still giving you a hard time?”

Eddie nodded, sighing. “Yeah,”

“‘Oh, Eddie-Bear!’” Richie crooned in his Sonia Voice. “‘You know how I worry, Eddie! Those other kids are too rough with you! That Billy Denbrough is no good! And I hardly have to tell you what’s wrong with that filthy Tozier boy!’”

“She does sound like that,” Eddie nodded again. Sonia hated Eddie’s friends, as she thought they put him in danger, and she especially hated Richie, often trash-talking him to Eddie while they were at home. She’d even criticized they way Maggie and Wentworth raise him, once harshly whispering to Eddie, ‘I cant believe they let their son walk around looking like a little queer hippie,’ after they’d run into the Tozier family at the grocery store. It had upset Eddie pretty severely, and he’d climbed through Richie’s bedroom window later that night to talk to him, sobbing in his arms and falling asleep curled up on his chest up in his bedroom. Richie was great at comforting Eddie. It was one of Eddie’s favorite things about him.

“You know, Eds, I—” Richie was cut off by a loud rumbling, like a bowling ball being thrown down the lane at pins, and both he and Eddie stared at each other. “Was that thunder?” Richie pulled his eyebrows together.

“No way,” Eddie shook his head. “It hasn’t rained in forever.”

“Maybe a tree fell,” Richie suggested just as another loud crack rang out. “And then another one.”

“Maybe we should get out of here,” Eddie suggested, gingerly setting his comic book down and moving to pull his shoes on.

“Good idea,” Richie agreed, pushing himself out of the hammock and throwing his button-down back on.

The rain started to fall just as they were climbing out of the clubhouse, changing from a moderate drizzle to an absolute downpour in a matter of seconds, drenching the boys as they ran through the woods, hands linked together so they wouldn’t lose sight of one another through the thick sheets of rain.

“Where’s your bike?” Eddie yelled out as another crack of thunder echoed through the woods.

“I walked here!” Richie shouted back, the lenses of his glasses so clouded with raindrops Eddie was worried he was going to run into a tree.

“I have mine!” Eddie told him as they ran out of the forest and onto shore of the little creek under the Kissing Bridge. “I’ll ride you double back home.”

“You’re sure?” Richie asked, pushing his wet hair off his forehead as Eddie pulled his bike from where he’d stashed it under the bridge.

“Yeah, hop on.” Eddie replied, mounting the seat and allowing Richie to climb up on the pegs, wrapping his arms tightly around Eddie’s middle.

He pedaled quickly through the town, mindful to stay on the sidewalk so they wouldn’t get hit by a car on the street. There were no pedestrians around as they rode along, so Eddie didn’t have to worry about running someone over. The ride to Richie’s was relatively short, but it was unfortunately 90% uphill, so Eddie pedaled hard, struggling to move quickly with Richie’s extra weight. At least Richie was trying to help, whispering words of encouragement to Eddie as he pushed the bike hard, and telling him about a hundred different knock-knock jokes just to make him smile.

By the time they reached Richie’s house, the sun was out and the rain had let up a little bit, but it was still chucking it down, so Richie invited Eddie inside to stay for a while, at least until the rain eased up and he could ride home, or if it didn’t he could spend the night.

Eddie agreed easily, glad to not have to return to his mother just yet, leaving his bike in Richie’s garage and following him inside so they could change their clothes and stay up in Richie’s room, listening to music and laying in bed together, like they always did.


	27. Top of the Mountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie and Eddie go for a hike.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw

3 miles hadn’t sounded that long for a hike. At least, not to Richie, who was a hiking novice and knew nothing at all about mountain climbing or spelunking or whatever the fuck Eddie got up to when he went on his canyon runs on the weekend, but Jesus H. Fuck, was he wrong.

Eddie had warned him that this hike would be long and hard (to which Richie had snickered and Eddie had rolled his eyes), but Richie hadn’t expected it to be quite as taxing as it was. It didn’t help that the trail was basically a ninety degree fucking angle the entire way up the stupid mountain, but the heat had also peaked at 107 that high noon, pounding down on their backs and their skulls as they looped their way through the Wisdom Tree Trail.

They’d been hiking for about two hours already, Eddie trotting up ahead like a little mountain goat in his hiking boots and little hiking shorts, with his white t-shirt flowing around his nimble body as he moved around, climbing over tree trunks and scaling rock plates. The fucker.

“You doing ok, Rich?” Eddie called back for the eight hundredth time.

“Super duper,” Richie managed between panting breaths, shooting him a quick thumbs up. “Just, like, ballpark,” He caught up with Eddie as he took a picture off the side of the trail with his cellphone. “How far do you think we are from the top?”

“Hm,” Eddie wrinkled his nose to push his sunglasses back into place before slipping his phone back into one of his many shorts pockets and turning to look up at the rest of the trail. “Half mile?” He guessed. “Drink some water, honey.” Eddie reached down and unclipped Richie’s water from his belt and handed it to him, rubbing his shoulder gently as he chugged some. “I love you.”

Richie laughed, handing the bottle back. “Are you telling me that in case I die from overexertion?”

Eddie shrugged, smiling lightly. “I’m telling you that because it’s true.” He pushed a sweaty curl off of Richie’s forehead. “And I’m also worried you’re going to collapse from heat stroke.”

“I feel great, Eds.” Richie waved him off, able to properly catch his breath now that they’d slowed down for a minute. “I feel like I could walk to the moon.” He paused, pushing his glasses up his nose. “On my hands.”

“Very impressive.” Eddie remarked, sipping from his own water bottle. “You want to keep moving?”

“Obviously,” Richie sighed, though his calves disagreed with him. “I love you too, by the way.”

Eddie gathered the hem of Richie’s t-shirt in his hands and used it to wipe the sweat off of his forehead before planting a long kiss there. “I know,” He replied, lacing their fingers together and continuing back down the path.

***

“Thank Christ,” Richie sighed when they _finally_ reached the end of the trail.

The hiking path deposited them on top of a large mountain, overlooking the vast forests of Los Angeles. Richie had to admit that it was really fucking beautiful, even if he was so tired he was considering living on this mountain for the rest of his life just so he wouldn’t have to walk back down it.

“Come sit down, Rich.” Eddie called, waving Richie over to where he’d already begun setting up their little picnic, carefully pulling their supplies from his backpack and setting them up in the shade of an elm tree.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Richie assured him, plopping down on the little gingham blanket and immediately dropping his head into Eddie’s lap.

Eddie laughed softly, using one hand to pet through Richie’s sweaty hair while he finished setting out their food with the other, carefully resting his backpack against the tree trunk when he was finished. “I brought you some Gatorade.” Eddie pulled one of the bottles closer to them, still gently scratching through Richie’s hair.

“Ferris Bueller, you’re my hero.” Richie said softly as Eddie uncapped the drink.

Eddie rolled his eyes but smiled anyway, lifting Richie’s head off his lap and carefully allowing him to sip from the bottle. “Feel better?” He asked after Richie downed about half of it.

Richie nodded, relaxing back into Eddie’s hold and stretching his legs out in the sun, just past where the shade of the tree covered their blanket. “A million times over,” Richie confirmed, watching Eddie take a bite of an apple. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Eddie smiled down at him.

“Kiss?”

Eddie grinned wider, setting the apple down on a little paper plate and bending over to meet Richie’s lips for a kiss. He tasted sweaty from their hike and also fake-sweet like the sunscreen he’d been slathering on both himself and Richie since they left the house that morning. Richie melted into him right away, bringing his hands up to tangle in Eddie’s hair and hold him in place as their tongues slid together, easy and tired after their long day.

They continued to kiss for a while, their making-out eventually turning heavier, with Eddie pushing their picnic food to the side and climbing on top of Richie on the blanket. “There’s lube in my backpack.” Eddie mumbled against Richie’s mouth, grinding down against him slowly.

Richie snorted softly, reaching over to dig through Eddie’s bag. “Of course there is.”

“Shut up,” Eddie grumbled, sitting back on his haunches to undo both his and Richie’s pants. Eddie seemed to think for a moment before shedding his shirt and beginning to yank at Richie’s as well. Luckily, they hadn’t seen a single person in the 3 hours they’d been on the trail, and the outlook seemed similarly abandoned, so Eddie clearly figured their wasn’t any risk of them getting caught up here, and opted to go all-in, not that Richie was complaining.

“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Richie informed him, using the wet wipes from Eddie’s bag to clean his hands off before lubing them up.

“Right back at ya, stud.” Eddie kissed Richie’s cheek softly as Richie slipped two fingers into him, beginning to scissor them right away. “Richie,” Eddie moaned breathily, peppering soft kisses all over Richie’s jaw, neck and shoulder.

“I’ve got you,” Richie assured him, pressing a soft kiss into Eddie’s sweat-tousled hair.

“Mm,” Eddie hummed, carefully grinding his hips in a circle to encourage Richie to move things along, all the while dragging their cocks together where they were pressed to Richie’s stomach. “I’m ready, Rich, really.” Eddie nodded against Richie’s chest after he’d added a third finger.

“You’re sure?” Richie asked, thrusting up into Eddie’s prostate.

“Yes,” Eddie gasped out, clenching around Richie’s fingers. “Yes, come on.”

“Alright, alright.” Richie soothed him softly, rubbing over the small of Eddie’s back with his dry hand as he slicked up his cock with the other. “Ready?” He asked again, pressing just the tip inside and waiting for the go ahead from Eddie.

“Yes,” He murmured, sucking a mark below Richie’s jaw. “Go ahead and fuck me.”

“Your wish is my command.” Richie tipped his face down to meet Eddie’s lips for a kiss as he pushed in, bottoming out in one smooth slide.

“Oh, fuck.” Eddie whispered, tugging softly on Richie’s hair. “Oh my god, you feel so good, Richie.”

Richie nodded, cupping the back of Eddie’s neck and guiding him into a slow kiss as he pulled out and thrusted back in, building up a mild pace, pressing up into Eddie’s prostate with each slow stroke.

Eddie feel apart quickly, as he always did, clinging to Richie’s shoulders and eagerly rocking back to meet his thrusts, snaking his hand between them to jerk himself off as they kissed.

“You feel so good, baby.” Richie told him, wrapping his arm around the small of Eddie’s back to pull them closer together.

“I’m close, Rich.” Eddie whimpered quietly.

“Me too,” Richie gripped Eddie’s hips tightly, heat pooling deep in his gut as he neared his climax. “Come on, Eds, cum for me, sweetheart, you can do it.”

“Kiss me,” Eddie breathed, laying his hand on Richie’s cheek and turning his face to meet him for a kiss.

Eddie came with a low whine the second their lips met, clenching tightly around Richie inside of him, tipping him over the edge as Eddie’s tongue slid into his mouth again.

They laid together for a while, Richie still holding Eddie to his chest and gently petting through his hair, catching their breath and settling down before Eddie gingerly slid off and grabbed the package of wet wipes to begin cleaning himself and Richie off.

Once they were clean and redressed, Richie pulled Eddie back into his side, laying on his back on the picnic blanket and staring up at the clear blue sky.

“What are you thinking about?” Eddie asked after a minute, tracing patterns on the left side of Richie’s chest over his shirt.

“You,” Richie kissed his temple. “And how much I love you.”

“Which would be?”

“The most.” Richie replied, squeezing him tightly. “I love you the most, baby-love.”

“I love you too.” Eddie replied. “I told you you’d have fun hiking.”


	28. Italy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie and Eddie go on their honeymoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw

Getting together with Richie was, without a doubt, the best thing that had ever happened to Eddie.

He'd spent most of his adult life devoid of any friends, stuck in a loveless, sexless marriage with his ex-wife, and being abused and berated by his mother despite the fact that she lived four states away from him.

Getting his call from Mike, aside from crashing his car, had been one of the most amazing moments of his life, because it led him right back to Derry, and that led him right back to Richie.

Richie, with his stupid 'your mom' jokes, and his coke-bottle glasses, and his awful sense of fashion. Richie, who carried Eddie out of the Neilbolt house, tears running off his stubbly cheeks and down into Eddie's hair. Richie, who slept in Eddie's hospital room for _months_ while Eddie healed. Richie, who let Eddie stay with him after he recovered and was released. Richie, who helped Eddie pack up all of his shit and move across the fucking country after the divorce. Richie, who loved Eddie so deeply, and so completely, that he fucking kept it to himself for forty years, and resigned himself to loneliness and mindless one-night stands so he wouldn't ever have to be rejected. Richie, who carved their initials on the Kissing Bridge when he was thirteen. Richie, who was so scared of rejection that he kept his feelings to himself, even after Eddie was single and living with him. Richie, who cried when Eddie laid his head on his shoulder one night on the couch and told him that he loved him. Richie, who made love to him so slowly and so caring that night that it reduced Eddie to tears, so they lay together, tangled up and sobbing, forty years old and in love.

Richie, _his_ Richie, who asked Eddie to marry him not even two weeks later, dropping to his knees on their kitchen floor and asking Eddie to spend the rest of their lives together.

How could Eddie have possibly said no to that?

So they got married. Two forty-something men dressed in plain suits standing at the courthouse surronded by the Losers, Beverly and Ben both sobbing messes as Richie and Eddie said 'I do.'

***

“Please, for the love of god, let me carry one of the bags.” Eddie frowned as Richie stopped at the bottom of what had to be the longest staircase in the world, still holding all four suitcases.

Richie frowned back at him. “No chance, hot pants. As if I’d let my bride do any heavy lifting on our honeymoon.”

“We’re getting divorced,” Eddie informed him.

“I guess it last just as long as it could.” Richie dropped the bags and extended his hand. “Still friends?”

“You’re an idiot, and I love you, and I’m helping you carry these.” Eddie announced, yoinking two of the bags from Richie’s grip and starting up the stairs.

For their honeymoon they’d decided to go to Rome (Italy, not New York, although Richie did lobby pretty hard for them to go to New York, telling Eddie that upstate New York was the best and had so many cows in it, and then got pissy when Eddie informed him that Rome was western New York, not technically upstate).

Eddie had always wanted to go to Italy, ever since he was a kid, as he loved the older feeling of the cities and the rolling vineyards in the countrysides, so they’d taken off two weeks for their trip and had packed each day with different sightseeing tours and fancy dinner reservations, and Richie even rented them a private villa with a fucking apricot orchard. Eddie felt like he was in fucking heaven.

Richie had rented a fucking Maserati GranTurismo for their car, rolling the top down and speeding through the streets with a smile on his face and the wind whipping through his hair. Eddie somehow kept falling more and more in love with this ridiculous man, which he didn’t think was possible, but here they were.

Richie chased Eddie up the front staircase of their villa, bags in hand, following him as he immediately turned into the master bedroom. “Oh, holy shit.” Eddie breathed.

The entire fucking house was incredible, all red brick and tan stucco, with huge screen-less windows over looking their own stretch of beach and the little apricot orchard, all the while allowing a warm breeze to flutter into the room. The bedroom was fully furnished with a king-sized bed and gorgeous dark wood furniture, with an enormous flatscreen tv hung on the wall by the door. There was even an en-suite bathroom, and just from his place in the doorway, Eddie could see a tub easily big enough to comfortably fit the both of them in.

“You like?” Richie asked, wrapping his arms around Eddie from behind and kissing the shell of his ear.

“It’s perfect, Richie, it’s fucking amazing.” Eddie whispered, voice thick as he felt the tears start to well up.

“Oh, honey, don’t cry.” Richie said softly, pressing light kisses all over Eddie’s shoulder through his shirt. “Hey, hey, it’s alright, Eds, don’t cry, sweetheart.”

Eddie shook his head as Richie squeezed him tighter, turning in his arms and burying his face in his chest. “I love you,”

“I love you too,”

“I’m sorry you spent so long alone, Richie, I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for you, and I—”

“Hey,” Richie held Eddie away from his body and tilted his face up so they were looking at each other. “None of that, now.” He kissed Eddie’s lips softly. “Eddie, it doesn’t matter what happened before. It matters what’s happening right now. And right now, I’m here with my wonderful, amazing husband, on our much needed and well deserved honeymoon, all alone in the Italian countryside for the next two weeks. Fuck everything else.” His lips twitched up into a small smile. “All I care about is you.”

“I love you,” Eddie whispered again.

“And I love you right back.” Richie replied, leaning forward and sealing their lips together in a kiss.

Eddie seriously loved Richie. Like, so much it was fucking crazy that his heart didn’t explode every time he looked at him. He did feel bad that Richie spent so long alone, so long in hiding, so long without anyone. It hurt his heart to think about. But, Richie was right, they were together now, and Eddie was determined to make every day of the rest of Richie’s life a fucking cakewalk, full of love and happiness and literally anything he wanted that Eddie had the power to give him. He would die for Richie, and he almost did, but he really didn’t want to think about that now. So instead, he pressed up onto his toes to pull Richie into a proper kiss, wrapping his arms around his neck and pulling him down so they could meet between their two heights, more comfortable for the both of them.

Richie responded in kind, hands finding their way to Eddie’s waist and tipping his head to the side to deepen their kiss, tongue soft and warm against Eddie’s own in his mouth.

They moved together perfectly, their give and take amazing, and it made Eddie’s heart swell, to think how perfectly they matched, how well they fit together. They belonged together, he was sure of that, in this lifetime and every one that followed. Richie was his person, his lover and his soulmate, and he was convinced that Richie was all he ever needed.

Eddie walked them back into the room until the backs of his knees hit the bed and he sat down on it, pulling Richie down with him, both perched on the edge of the bed as their hands explored each other’s bodies, as if they didn’t already know every inch of it.

Richie’s hands were curious, sliding up under Eddie’s shirt to roam all over his tummy and his chest and his back, tugging on his sparse chest hair and tweaking one of his nipples, earning a soft moan breathed into his mouth. Richie smiled into their kiss and nipped at Eddie’s bottom lip. “What do you want?” He asked, running his index finger down the line of Eddie’s jaw, eyes heavy-lidded when Eddie pulled back to look at him.

“You,” Eddie shrugged and shook his head. “I don’t care about anything else.”

“You have me, baby-love.” Richie nodded, squeezing Eddie’s thigh softly. “We made sure of that.” He tapped his wedding band against the buckle of Eddie’s belt, the soft clinking sound of metal hitting metal ringing out in the room.

“Which bag is the lube in?” Eddie asked, eyeing all of their suitcases, still in the doorway. He silently prayed that it wasn’t in some of the bags they’d left in the car.

“Way ahead of you, babe.” Richie smiled proudly, pulling a travel-sized packet of lube from his pants pocket.

“You’re a child.” Eddie informed him, yanking his shirt over his head and tossing it on the floor.

Richie frowned. “You wound me, Eddie.” He watched as Eddie scooted back on the bed until he was laying back against the pillows, lifting his hips so he could shimmy out of his shorts. “Someone’s eager.” He commented as Eddie took his own cock in his hand, stroking slowly.

“Are you going to join me?” Eddie asked impatiently, propping himself up on his elbow as Richie tossed the lube up next to Eddie, standing briefly to rid himself of his own clothes before crawling up to Eddie in the bed.

“I was enjoying the show,” Richie mumbled, taking Eddie’s face in his hand and tipping it to the side so he could begin sucking marks onto his throat.

Eddie let his eyelids flutter shut as Richie moved over his sensitive skin, tongue and teeth sharp against his pulse point.

He was normally pretty pushy in bed; he’d spent enough of his adult life not having sex, so he almost always wanted Richie to be inside of him, or for him to be inside of Richie, at any given moment, so he usually pushed Richie along, pestering him to speed things up or hurry it along, but as he lay there in their honeymoon bed, surrounded completely by the man that he loved, the man that had waited forty years for him, the man that asked him to marry him without even having a fucking ring because he’d just decided in that moment to just fucking propose (very Richie), he felt entirely unhurried. He was more than content to let Richie take his time, set his own pace, make love to him however he chose.

Richie spent a long time working marks into Eddie’s chest and neck. He loved marking Eddie up, and he didn’t always get the chance, as Eddie had to look semi-professional at work and was also usually too impatient to let Richie take his time, but now they had all the time in the world, so Eddie let Richie go to town.

He eventually moved further down, circling his tongue around one of Eddie’s nipples, then the other, sucking gently on the hard little nubs and rolling them between his teeth. He murmured words of praise into Eddie’s skin as he went, hands trailing after his lips to trace the lines of Eddie’s ribs, his abs, his hip bones. “God, Eddie, I love you.” Richie whispered, kissing down Eddie’s abdomen to his crotch, lapping gently at the head of his cock. “You’re so perfect, baby, I love you so much, I can’t even believe I get to have you all to myself, Eds, you’re fucking perfect—”

“ _Richie_ ,” Eddie gasped softly as the pad of Richie’s finger ghosted over his hole.

“Shh, I’ve got you, my love.” Richie said, tearing open the lube packet quickly and squirting some on his fingers.

His continued to take his time as he stretched Eddie open, first with one finger, then two, and up to three, adding more and more lube from the packet as he went and sucking lightly over the length of Eddie’s cock, telling him over and over again that he loved him and that he was perfect, wonderful, amazing, _so fucking beautiful, Eddie, Eddie, you feel so good, you’re so tight._

Eddie was almost crying with it by the time Richie pushed in, overwhelmed and glowing all over from Richie’s love. His cheeks felt hot and his chest felt like it was cracked wide open, and when Richie bottomed out, he did start to cry. They both did.

Richie almost always cried during sex, and Eddie usually comforted him, and he did his best to do so now, but he wasn’t sure how reassuring he was being when he was also openly sobbing.

Richie fucked him slowly, gripping him tightly, lips in his hair or on his temple or on his cheek, whispering sweet nothings to him as they moved together effortlessly, seamlessly.

It was perfect, slow and sweet and loving, and when they came they came together, all wet cheeks and teary eyes and sweaty skin, collapsing into one another, boneless on the bed after what very well could have been literal hours of love making.

Richie held Eddie close to him afterwards, snuggled into his chest as their breathing evened out. “We have to get up eventually.” Eddie said sadly. He was already starting to get antsy from the sweat and spit and cum on their skin.

Richie moaned in protest, eyes still closed. “Not right now, Spaghets,” He mumbled, rolling onto his side to wrap Eddie up in a hug. “Stay with me for now.”

“For now,” Eddie agreed, pressing a kiss to Richie’s sternum. “We’ll stay for now.”


	29. Macarons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie remembers his mother fondly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

"Oh, wow, Eds, check it out." Richie pulled his hand from Eddie's to point at a shop a little further down the sidewalk.

"What?" Eddie frowned at the store front. It just looked like a bakery.

"They sell macarons," Richie waltzed up to the window, staring at the little display of brightly colored cookies. "Maggie used to make these for me when I was little." He said, eyes locked on the bright pink biscuits. "She had this old reciepe from her mother." He glanced back at Eddie. "My mother was French Canadian."

"I know that," Eddie rolled his eyes. He'd known Richie his entire life, of course he'd known Maggie was from Quebec. She used to speak French to Richie when he was a kid, hoping to make him bilingual. As far as Eddie could tell, it hadn't really stuck, but Eddie did always like to hear Maggie sing to Richie in French. She sang this lullabye to them at sleepovers when they were small that always put him right to sleep. “Do you want to go in?” Eddie asked, looking at Richie as he gazed at the cookies on display like they were his long-lost siblings. “Rich?”

Richie was quiet for a beat longer before he shook his head. “No,” He decided, turning back to Eddie and holding his hand out to rejoin them. “They probably wouldn’t taste like Maggie’s anyway.”

***

The following evening, when Eddie returned home from work, Le temps de l’amour was playing softly from the kitchen, the soft French music flittering throughout the house. “Richie?” Eddie called, setting his briefcase on the floor next to the shoe mat.

“Kitchen,” Richie called back.

True to his word, Richie was standing in the kitchen, mixing something in a bowl. “Alexa, lower the volume.” He said to their little robot friend.

“Lowering volume,” Alexa replied.

“Hello, my love.” Richie smiled at him.

“I feel like I’m in a Wes Anderson movie.” Eddie said as Richie leaned over to kiss his cheek. “What are you doing?”

“Making macarons.” Richie replied, tipping the bowl to the side to show Eddie the bright pink mixture inside. “I called my father to ask for Maggie’s recipe.”

“Mm,” Eddie nodded, eyes scanning over their mess of a kitchen, baking products thrown all over the counter. It made his skin itch. “And how is Wentworth?” He asked, rolling up his sleeves and beginning to wash the dishes in the sink.

“He’s fine,” Richie said, pushing his glasses up his nose as he folded whipped egg whites into his batter. “I miss my mother.” He added quietly.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” Eddie said softly, wiping his hands on a towel and pressing his cheek to Richie’s back as he worked. “I wish I could have been there for you when she died.”

“I had my dad.” Richie sniffled like he was about to start crying, clearing his throat before speaking again. “We should go see him, Eds, it’s been a while.”

“Definitely.” Eddie assured him, standing on his toes to kiss his cheek. “We can go as soon as you’re done baking, if you’d like.”

Richie laughed, setting his mixing bowl down and pulling a parchment paper-lined baking sheet towards him. “We should probably give him a little heads-up first. Maybe we could go out for Hanukkah. I haven’t been home for the holidays in so long.”

“We could bring some macarons.” Eddie offered, watching as Richie began scooping his batter into a little piping bag.

“If they’re any good.” Richie replied. “My mother was, like, the fucking _queen_ of macarons. She dominated, Eddie, I swear.”

“I remember.” Eddie nodded his head, turning back to the dishes in the sink. “She used to give us little tins of them for Christmas and our birthdays.”

“Oh yeah,” Richie laughed again, a light sound, clearly enjoying reminiscing about his mother. It made Eddie wish he had more pleasant memories with his own mom. But, alas, Sonia had given him nothing but a brain full of intrusive thoughts and a lifetime of neuroses that he now had to work through with a therapist. “I remember she tried to give you ones with almond extract once and Sonia flipped her fucking wig.”

“Mm,” Eddie hummed, remembering the one and only time Sonia had let any of his friends parents into the house. Maggie had brought over cookies to try and be nice and Sonia had screamed and raved about Eddie’s supposed nut allergy, sending both Maggie and Richie away, along with the tin of macarons. After that, Sonia had always called Maggie ‘that terrible French woman,’ although the word ‘terrible’ never belonged anywhere near Maggie Tozier.

“My mom made a whole new recipe up for you so you could eat the cookies.” Richie sighed wistfully. “God, she was the best.”

“She was,” Eddie agreed.

“She loved you.”

“She loved _you_.” Eddie set the last dish on the drying rack and turned back to Richie. “You were always so lucky, Rich.”

“I guess I was, wasn’t I?” Richie squeezed the last of the batter out into a little quarter-sized puddle.

“I used to wish that Maggie was my mom.” Eddie told him, pressing a kiss to the back of Richie’s arm.

“She would have loved to see us get married.” Richie said softly, staring down at his wedding ring.

“She was there in spirit.” Eddie told him, but even as he said it it sounded so fucking cheesy.

Richie snorted. “That’s gay,” He replied, stepping back so he could bang the cookie sheet on the counter, popping any errant bubbles in his cookies.

“I hate to break it to you, Richie, but we’re super gay. Like, the gayest.”

“Hardly,” Richie replied, sliding the cookie sheet into the awaiting oven. “I’m way less gay than you are, anyway.”

“Ha!” Eddie put his hands on his hips. “Who told you that? Elton John?”

“Baby, it’s a well known fact that bottoms are inherently more gay than tops.”

“Oh, you’re such an ass.” Eddie shoved Richie’s shoulder hard. “I can’t even believe you just said that to me. We’re getting a divorce.”

“Good luck finding another service top, Eds. We’re pretty hard to come by.”

“I hate you,”

“Hey, don’t be mean to me, my mom died.”

“Oh my god, you started it.”

“Lies.” Richie feigned innocence, grabbing Eddie’s hand and reeling him in for a kiss when he went to shove him again. “Mm, I love you.” He mumbled into Eddie’s hair.

“I love you too,” Eddie whispered back. “And you’re cleaning up the rest of this cookie mess.”


	30. Dog Paws

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie surprises Richie with a dog for his birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sfw

It was after Richie cried for the entirety of _Milo & Otis_ that Eddie knew they should get a dog.

Richie was a huge softy, always had been, and _Milo & Otis_ wasn't even that sad, so Eddie decided that Richie’s upcoming 43rd birthday would be the perfect time to surprise his gentle giant of a boyfriend with a fluffy new friend.

But Eddie didn’t know literally anything about dogs. Or any pets, for that matter. When he was growing up, his mother told him he was allergic to pet dander, and that they could be dangerous, what with their teeth and claws and what have you, so they never had any pets. Bill had a dog when they were kids, an old, fat beagle named Mr. Hampton that Richie had loved. He’d always pet him and cuddle him at sleepovers. Eddie was pretty sure that Richie cried harder than Bill did when the poor thing finally died.

And since Eddie didn’t know anything about dogs, he turned to someone he knew might. Stanley. He and his wife Patty had recently adopted a little German Shepard puppy for their son Nathan, who’d recently turned two. So, while Richie was away on business one afternoon, Eddie made the hour long car journey out of the city and to the suburbs to go visit Stan and Patty.

“I don’t know if you’d be suited to raise a puppy, Eds.” Stanley said nonchalantly, scanning over his bird puzzle, reading glasses perched on the end of his nose.

“What the fuck?” Eddie watched as he fit a piece into the wing of a mourning dove. “Why not?”

“They’re messy and loud and hairy,” Stan replied.

“You just described my boyfriend.”

Stan laughed shorty, sweeping a hand through his curly hair, eyes not leaving his puzzle. When his sleeves rode up, Eddie could see the scars on his wrists from when he’d slit them. It made his stomach cold. “Would you really want to take care of two Richies?” Stan asked. “Especially if one isn’t potty trained?”

Eddie shrugged, biting his lower lip. “It might be good practice for babies.”

Stanley finally looked up from the puzzle, eyebrows raised. “You and Richie want kids?”

Eddie shrugged again. “Yeah, I think so. I would, anyway. And Richie does always cry whenever you let him hold Nathan.”

“He certainly does,” Stanley agreed. “Look, Eds, if you want a dog, I think you should get one. Maybe see if the pound has any older ones, though. Richie is away a lot and I’m sure you don’t want to be stuck cleaning up pee-pads all on your own.”

Eddie nodded slowly, listening to Patty as she sang to Nathan upstairs to try and stop him from crying. “What kind should I get? Like, what ones are good?”

“The right one will pick you, buddy.” Stan leaned over patted Eddie’s wrist softly before returning to his puzzle.

***

Stan had been right, and the perfect dog, a four year old pit bull with three legs, had picked him the second he walked into the pound. She’d been curled up in her little dog bed and chewing half-heartedly on a plush alligator, but when Eddie crouched in front of the cage to look at her, she’d perked right up and bounced on over, pushing her cold little nose through the chain link fence and licking at his palm. He’d almost started crying while looking at her, so he knew right away Richie would too.

He hadn’t even looked at the other dogs, worried he’d get attached to all of them and have to adopt every single one, so he’d put a leash on Lorelei and filled out all the paperwork then and there, with her little chin resting on his leg and her tail thumping the floor of the kennel office.

***

Because they were such good friends, Bill and Mike let Eddie stash the dog (and all of the supplies to take care of her) at their house for a few days, just until Richie’s birthday and Eddie could give her to him as one of his many presents.

The day went about as Eddie planned. He woke Richie up with breakfast in bed of chocolate chip waffles with whipped cream because his boyfriend is a 12 year old, he then promptly sucked Richie’s cock for a wonderful 10 minutes while he whined and tugged on Eddie’s hair, whispering over and over again that he loved him as he came down his throat. Next up was their FaceTime call to Richie’s father, where he spent the better part of an hour crying and talking to Wentworth about his mother. After they hung up, Richie tried to rope Eddie into shower sex, but Eddie brushed him off and said he had to go for his morning run, so while Richie was hopping in the shower, Eddie drove over to Bill and Mike’s and collected Lorelei and all of her belongings.

Richie was still in the shower when Eddie got back, so he sat down on the couch and held the dog in his lap, waiting another five minutes before Richie eventually came down.

He burst into tears the second he saw the dog, falling to his knees and scooping her up while she wagged her tail and licked his face, knocking his glasses askew as he sobbed. “She only has three legs, Eddie!” He cried.

“I know,” Eddie laughed softly, snapping a few quick pictures of Richie as he wept openly and hugged Lorelei.

“Oh, she’s perfect, Eds, is she for me?” Richie’s lower lip wobbled as Lorelei butted her head against his chin, little tail wagging so fast they could hardly even see it.

“All yours, baby-love.” Eddie confirmed, kneeling next to Richie on the floor and patting his shoulder. “I’ll obviously take care of her when you go out of town.”

Richie shook his head quickly, burying his face in the dog’s fur. “I’m never leaving again.” He mumbled.

“Oh, I see how it is.” Eddie teased. “You have no problems leaving me behind, but now that you’ve got the dog you’re never leaving again.”

“Exactly,” Richie nodded tearfully. “You get it.”

“You’re such an ass.”

“Don’t be mean to me, it’s my birthday.” Richie gave the dog another quick squeeze before leaning over and kissing Eddie’s cheek lightly. “Thank you so much, Eds, I love her.”

“I’m glad,” Eddie told him, kissing his cheek right back. “Happy birthday, Rich. From me and the dog.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this is the last chapter, holy hell. I had a lot of fun with this, even if it was pretty tiring at times. As always, thanks for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me anywhere! My handle for everything is @rauqthetommo! Feel free to ask me questions at all on my tumblr!


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